3o6 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Egyptian Yulture. Neophron perc?iopierus (Linn.). 



The Egyptian \"ulture breeds in southern Europe, north 

 Africa and Asia as far east as India, where it is replaced by an 

 allied form. One, out of two seen, was killed in Somerset in 

 1825, and another in 1868 in Sussex; both were obtained in 

 autumn and were immature. 



Though not an attractive-looking bird on the ground, 

 especially when feeding, the Egyptian Vulture when sailing 

 with light graceful flight, soaring or sweeping in wide circles, 

 showing the black primaries contrasting with its snowy 

 plumage, presents a magnificent sight. The face and fore 

 part of the neck are yellow and wrinkled, and a ruff of long 

 white feathers stands out on the lower neck. The iSase of the 

 bill is yellow, the tip horn-brown ; the legs and feet are flesh- 

 coloured, and the irides crimson. Until its third year the 

 plumage is very different, dark brown where it is white in the 

 mature bird. The bare skin of the face and the legs are then 

 Hvid grey, the bill dusky, and the irides brown. The habits of 

 all these useful scavengers are, from our outlook, disgusting, 

 and the Egyptian Vulture collects round its nest a mass of 

 decomposing animals and birds ; Col. Verner tells how in Spain 

 he found, in addition to this unsavoury larder, a number of 

 miscellaneous articles surrounding a nest — a bit of rope, filthy 

 rags and paper, a bag of meal-worm riddled flour, and a playing 

 card— the king of clubs. Length, 26 ins. Wing, 19 ins. Tarsus, 

 3'4 ins. 



Family FALCONID.^. Harriers, Eagles, Hawks and 

 Falcons. 



Marsh-Harrier. Circus cemgifiosus (Linn.). 



The Marsh-Harrier (Plate 127) inhabits marshes and low 

 damp country in Europe, north Africa and western Asia, and 



