THE GRIFFON VULTURE^ 



Gyps fulvus 



Arabic, Eakham. 



Head and neck bare of fine feathers, but covered with 

 short white down. Lower part of the neck surrounded by a 

 ruff of long, thin, lance-shaped feathers, generally but not 

 always white ; sometimes it is huffish, sometimes rich rufous ; 

 wings at shoulders are light greyish brown, getting darker to 

 nearly black on the large flight feathers. Breast and flanks 

 grey, brown under tail-coverts a brighter burnt-sienna tone. 

 Legs dull grey ; base of beak yellow. Young birds are gen- 

 erally duller and lighter coloured than adults. 



Length, 48 inches, but individuals vary greatly. 



This is the Vulture so constantly depicted on the 

 monuments of Egypt, and I do not think that 

 any one has ever raised the slightest doubt of its 

 identity ; but the same can hardly be said of all the 

 birds thereon figured. 



1 EAGLES, VULTURES, HAWKS 



Many different arrangements have been made of the order in which 

 birds should be placed, some placing one, others, another family first, and 

 the wise men are even yet not all agreed, so that the old-time method has 

 been adopted of beginning with the birds of prey, since it is probably the 

 order with which the ordinary reader is most familiar. 



Eagles are not common, and though in the complete list of Egyptian 

 birds the names of four are given, it is hardly likely to be a bird seen, 

 whilst Vultures and Kites, and certain Hawks, most certainly will be. 



14 



