8 Dr. A. L. Adams uii the Birds uf Egypt and Nubia. 



appearing as their head-dress and that also of the queens of the 

 country. The colouring of all I have seen on temples is in a 

 degree whimsical, but in outline they show great artistic skill. 

 Several delineations of Vultures on the walls of a recently exca- 

 vated temple at Thebes are remarkably well done. Perhaps 

 iElian (lib. ii. 46) refers to the Cinereous Vulture when he 

 mentions that the Black Vulture of Egypt was originally the 

 produce of an Eagle and a Vulture, Mummies of bare-headed 

 Vultures have been found at Thebes. 



Gypaetos barbatus. 



On the 14th November, 1862, whilst crowning the summit 

 of the Great Pyramid, I came most unexpectedly on a Bearded 

 Vulture which had been resting on the platform at the apex. 

 Not having seen another during my subsequent travels in Egypt 

 and Nubia, I would have hesitated now in recording its ap- 

 pearance in Lower Egypt so far north as the Pyramids of Gizeh ; 

 but being perfectly familiar with the bird, from previous ob- 

 servation on the Himalayan Mountains, I had not the slightest 

 difficulty in recognizing my old acquaintance. I have no doubt 

 the individual in question was a straggler, attracted by the iso- 

 lated conical aspect of these great landmarks ; for, after a few 

 circular sweeps around their sides, he steered his course east- 

 ward towards the Mogattam Hills. The ferruginous dust found 

 among the feathers of the front of the neck, crop, and lower 

 parts was, in all I shot on the Himalayas, confined to adults, and 

 to individuals assuming the rufous white on the belly. 



AqUILA NiEVIA 



Is the most common Eagle in Egypt, and may often be seen 

 either in fields hunting after reptiles and small quadrupeds, or 

 feeding on fish on the sand-banks. I found portions of a large 

 snake in one killed near Thebes, and on another occasion sur- 

 prised a pair intently devouring a large Lepidotus {Char acinus 

 dentex, Sav.). I take the bird of Egypt to be the true ncBvia. A 

 male specimen had large elliptical spots on the upper parts of 

 the body, a rufous tinge on the vent, and measured 25^ inches in 

 the fle^h. 



Aquila pennata I saw on several occasions, but did not pro- 



