NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



end, measuring 3.05 by 2.25. The young bird hatches out 

 after six weeks' incubation, which is undertaken solely by the 

 female. The young have to remain in the nest several months 

 until they have assumed adult plumage, and their legs become 

 strong enough to support them. 



Secretary birds are kept by many farmers in their poultry 

 yards. It is found these birds keep the fowls in order and 

 protect them from harm. If not well fed, however, they often 

 kill and eat small chickens. 



Kolbe's Vulture {Gyps kolbii). (Vol. II., p. 186.) 



Description. — Head and neck sparsely covered with dirty 

 white hair. At the base of the back of neck is a rufF of dirty 

 white feathers. The back is a pale ashy-fulvous. Nearly all the 

 feathers have dark brown bases, giving a mottled appearance 

 to the rump. Pale soft stripe on lower back and rump. Tail 

 feathers and primary quills black. Crop patch dark brown in 

 colour. Under surface, including under wing and tail coverts, 

 white with creamy tinge. Iris red-yellow to hazel. Bill horn 

 colour. Cere livid. Legs, feet, and naked skin of neck and 

 head livid blue. 



Lengthy 47.0 ; wing, 28.0 ; tail, 12.0. 



Young : rufF composed of brown-edged feathers. On 

 back and wings mottling is more marked than in adults. Crop 

 patch pale brown. Under feathers all edged with brown. 



Distribution. — This is the commonest of South African 

 vultures. Formerly very abundant at the Cape, but at present, 

 owing to the laying of poisoned meat for jackals, etc., rather 

 uncommon. 



Habits. — This vulture, commonly known as the assvogel, 

 is to a great extent a gregarious bird, as it dwells in company 

 with other individuals on some krantz which overlooks the 

 surrounding country. There it spends the nights, sallying forth 

 at daybreak to take up its position high up in the air, where 

 it can command a view of all the surrounding country. When 

 a dead animal such as an ox or antelope is sighted by one ass- 



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