SKETCHES OF 

 SOUTH AFRICAN BIRD-LIFE 



CHAPTER I 



SCAVENGERS OF THE VELD 



VULTURES AND RAVENS 



South Africa fortunately possesses quite a number of 

 species of the Vulture tribe, the commonest of which is 

 generally known as the Gyps kolbii of ornithologists and 

 the Aasvogel of the Boers. 



Birds with an unprepossessing appearance and an evil 

 smell, they are, nevertheless, exceedingly useful in clearing the 

 veld of carrion. During the rinderpest and similar epidemics 

 among live stock, the Vultures were of great utility in 

 clearing off the putrid remains of bovine herds. Even 

 these birds, plentiful as they were, could not cope with the 

 number of cattle that were dying, or had to be shot, and 

 which were buried in hundreds. The Vultures' feast ; what 

 a sight ! Yet it has its interesting side. 



During the year 1890, both this Vulture and the White- 

 necked Raven (Corvultur albicollis) were common in the 

 neighbourhood of Grahamstown, and no sooner was a dead 

 horse or other animal dragged out to one of the kloofs than 

 Ravens and Vultures could be seen winging their way to the 

 spot from all quarters of the horizon. Judging by the way 

 they follow one another, we feel convinced that they locate 



1 B 



