A^'LTUR. 



317 



1190. Vultur monachus. The Cinereous Vulture. 



Vultur monachus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 122 (176G) ; Blyth Cat. 



p. 32; Horsf. S,- M. Cat. i, p. 1 ; Jerdon, B. I.i, p. 6 ; id. Ibis, 



1871 p 234 ; Hume, Rmiijh Notes, p. 1 ; ^. Anderson, F. Z. b. 



187l', v. 675 ; Adam, S. F. i, p. 367 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. i, p. 3; 



BMenS. F.m,^ 4^1; V, p 226; Blanford, S. F. y, p. 245; 



Hume, S. F. yii, p. 321; id. Cat. no. 1; Scully, S. 1. ^i"'. P- -^1' ? 



Barnes S. F. ixf pp. 214,450; C H T. Marshall, Ibis, 1884, 



p. 405 ;' Bar7ies, Birds Bom. p. 2 ; St. John, Ibis, 1889, p. 149. 

 Great Brotcn Vulture, J er ion: Kdla-yldh, 11. ; Gut 2}ano7n,'Le^c\m. 



'/ / /, '^ f* ' 

 Fig. 81.— Head of V. monachus, I. 



Coloration. Blackish brown througliout, with, in freshly moulted 

 plumage, a ruddy gloss on the mantle ; under surface sometimes 

 darker°than upper ; quills and tail almost black, occiput and lower 

 tail-coverts paler. Young birds are paler and browner. 



Bill blackish brown; cere pale mauve; irides brown; naked 

 skin o£ neck livid flesh-colour; legs and feet creamy or pearl- 

 white. 



Length about 42 inches ; taH 17 ; wing 30 ; tarsus 5. 



Distribution. Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and eastward 

 through South-western Asia and parts of Central Asia to India 

 and China. In India this bird is resident in Afghanistan and the 

 Himalayas, and visits North-western India in the cold season, 

 having been observed in the Punjab, Sind, North-west Provinces, 

 and Oude, Guzerat near Ahmedabad, Mhow, and Saugor. It 

 ranges in the Himalayas as far east as Bhutan. 



Habits, Sfc. Those of the family. The nesting does not appear 

 to have been recorded within Indian limits, though there can be 

 no doubt that this bird breeds in the Himalayas. In Europe it 

 breeds about Eebruary or March, sometimes on cliffs, more often 

 in trees ; builds a huge nest of sticks, and lays a single egg (very 

 rarely two) richly marked with dark red, and measuring about 

 3-7 by 2-6. 



