128 Oceasional JVotes. 



memory a great deal ; still I hope I have not made many mis- 

 takes and that the above notes may be interesting to Members 

 o£ the Union, to which I wish, as always, all prosperity. 

 " Yours very truly, 

 "Nicosia, Cyprus, " JoHN A. BuCKNILL." 



Nov. 13, 1907." 



IX. Longevity of Yellow-bellied Seed-eater 



( SeRINUS FLA riVENTRIS] . 



It might interest your readers to know that a specimen of 

 the above bird has been in the possession of a gentleman in 

 Port Elizabeth as a cage-bird for the past 18 years. It 

 would doubtless have lived much longer if an accident had 

 not happened to it. This is a good instance of the longevity 

 of small birds. When captured 18 years ago it was adult, 

 and may then have been several years old. Comparatively 

 little is known as to the life-periods of the various species of 

 birds. 



Yours sincerely. 

 Port Elizabeth Museum, F. W. FiTzSlMONS. 



Port Elizabeth, 

 29th May, 1907. 



X. Depredatory Habits of the Vulture 



( G TPS KOLBIl) . 



In the Amersfoort district I knew of a case where two full- 

 grown and apparently healthy merino sheep, being part of a 

 flock of 400, were attacked and killed by South African 

 Griffon Vultures, but I think it must be exceptional for these 

 birds to attack healthy animals. As Maquabie, the farm 

 on which the incident occurred, is only 60 miles from the 

 Compies River, where these birds breed and have their 

 home, it is probable that they came from there, as it would 

 easily be within their beat. And the explanation in this case 

 would probably be that these birds had been attacking and 

 living on weak and sickly sheep all the winter. The season 

 was such a severe one that, in the majority of cases, the 



