GYPAETIN^. 13 



nest of sticks and rubbish, often lined with old rags, and lays 

 generally two eggs, sometimes white, with a few rusty brown 

 spots, at other times so richly covered with them as to appear 

 quite red, with a few liver-brown blotches. 



This Vulture is preserved in Egypt, where it goes by the name of 

 Pharoah's Chicken. It is common throughout the North of Africa, 

 Western Asia, and even the South of Europe, a straggler finding 

 its way to England now and then. 



A second species of JVeopht'on exists in the Cathartes monachus, 

 Tem., PI. col. 222 (the Vultur pileatus of Burchell and N. 

 Carimculatus of A. Smith, from Africa). 



Sub-fam. GtpaetiN-^, Bon. and Gray. 



Bill strong, lengthened, compressed, straight ; ui)per mandible 

 ascending in front of the cere, then cvirved, with the tip much 

 hooked ; nostrils oval, vertical, covered with dense rigid recumbent 

 bristles ; lower mandible with a beard, or tuft of rigid setaceous 

 bristles directed forwards ; head closely feathered ; wings very long, 

 the first quill rather shorter than second, the third longest ; feet 

 short, stout ; the tarsus hirsute to the toes ; tlie thigh coverts 

 lengthened, the three front toes slightly united by membrane, mid- 

 dle toe very long, hind toe short, claws strong, moderately curved ; 

 tail cuneate, long. 



The Bearded Vulture forms a natural link between the Vultures 

 and the Eagles both in its structure and habits, but is apparently 

 more vulturine in its structure. The eye is on a level with the 

 head, the craw projects Avhen full, and it has 13 cervical vertebrae. 

 The sternum is short and very broad. 



Gen. Gypaetus (Storr). 

 Syn. Phene, Sav. 

 Char. — Same as those of the sub-family. 



7. Gypaetus barbatus, Lm. 



Vultur, apud Linnaeus — Blyth, Cat. 138 — IIorsf., Cat. 10 — 

 G. Grandis, Stork — G. hemachalanus, Uutton, J. A. S. III. 523; 

 IV. 455; Vll. 20 — Phene ossifraga, Sav. — Gray, Gen. of Birds, 



