THE GEIFFON VCJLTUKE. 3 



for the benefit of its young. Eeady as it is at all times to 

 feast on the dea^, the least of living creatures scares it. 

 Its flight is slow, its habits ungainly, and its whole ap- 

 pearance offensive. The small head and long neck, bare 

 of feathers, want the grace which characterises birds in 

 general, among A^^hich it holds the same rank that the hyena 

 does among quadrupeds. It emits an offensive smell, and 

 when dead is rejected by aU animals of prey, Ijing on the 

 ground untouched until it becomes a mummy. One species 

 of Vulture is often figured on Egyptian monuments as an 

 emblem of victory, from the fact, doubtless, that these birds 

 are in the habit of following armies, to feast on rejected 

 offal, or, if occasion presents itseK, on the bodies of the 

 slain. 



The Griffon Vulture inhabits Africa and several of the 

 mountainous parts of Europe, especially the neighbourhood 

 of Gibraltar. It builds its nest in inaccessible rocks. Its 

 only claim to be considered a British bird is, that a young 

 specimen was caught, in the year 1843, on the rocks near 

 Cork Harbour. 



THE egyptia:n" VULTUEE. 



NEOPHRON PERCNO'PTERUS. 



Naked part of head and neck yellowish flesh-coloured ; plumage white, except 

 the quills which are black ; occipital feathers long and slender ; cere orange- 

 colour ; iris yellow ; beak dusky ; feet lurid yellow ; claws black ; tail 

 gi-aduated, the middle feathers longest. Length twenty-six to twenty-nine 

 inches ; breadth five feet nine inches. Eggs white. 



So very few specimens of this bird in a state of nature 

 have been seen in England, that it has scarcely any more 

 right than the last to be considered a British bird. In 

 habits, it so closely resembles the Griffon Vulture, that 

 a second description is unnecessary. We may notice, 

 however, that this species lives chiefly in pairs, whereas 

 b2 



