64 VDLTURID^. 



Gen. of B. i,-p. 6 ; Jerd. B. of Ind., vol. i, p. 90 ; Hume, Str. F., 

 vol. v., p. 245 ; Murray, Hdhk., Zool, 8)'C., Sind,^.\Q^; Gicf/i., Hind 

 and Sind. — The Bengal or Common Brown Vulture. 



jldult. — Cinereous black above, beneath dark brown, the shafts 

 narrowly streaked with fulvous. liower back and rump white. Ruff 

 scanty, whitish. Head and neck bare with a few dull brown bristles on 

 the crown and nape. Quills, tail, and crop patch black. Under wing- 

 coverts white. Cere horny black; legs dusky black ; iris red brown. 



length.— dO to 35 inches, wing 23 to 23*5, tail 10 to 11, tarsus 4-2, 

 culmen 3*1 . 



Hah. — Throughout India. It is a permanent resident in Sind, and 

 breeds from November to February or later, laying ordinarily one or two 

 glossless white eggs, at times with rusty markings at the larger end. 



Sub-Family, NEOPHRONIN^,— Scavengers. 



Bill lengthened, slender; nostrils longitudinal, nearly in the middle 

 of the bill, perforated, and without bony septum. 



Gen. Neophron. — Savlgny. 



Characters, same as those of the family. 



Neophron ginginianus. Lath. hid. Om. i, p. 7 ; Bhjth, Ihis, 

 1866; Jerd. B.of Ind. i, p. 12; Sharpe, Cat. Ace Br. ilfws., p. 1 8 ; 

 Hume, Str. F. vol. i., p. 150; Rough Notes i, p. 39; Murra/y, Hdhk., 

 Zool., ^-c, Sind, p. 105. — The White Scavenger Vulture or Pha- 

 raoh's Hen of Bruce. 



Adidt. — Yellowish or creamy white. Quills black, neck hackles long, 

 lanceolate, tinged somewhat rusty ; secondaries dark brown and, 

 like the quills, internally ashy white at base. Head bare, thi'oat with a 

 little scanty down ; a few white feathers in front of the eye. Iridea 

 reddish brown ; cere and face turmeric yellow ; bill pale horny-brown ; 

 feet and legs yellowish-white. 



Length. — 21 to 22 inches, wing 15-5 ( not reaching the tip of the 

 tail), tail 9 "5, tarsus 3*4. 



Hab. — Throughout India and a permanent resident. Breeds from 

 February to April on cliffs, old mosques, &c., seldom on trees, making 

 a rude nest of twigs lined with rags, &c. Eggs variously coloui-ed, the 

 ground colour usually a dirty white, blotched and smeared with reddish 

 brown, or marked all over with deep red with blotches at the larger end. 



Sub-Family, GYPyETIN^E. — Bon. and Gmy.— Bearded 



Vultures. 

 Bill strong, lengthened, compressed, straight. Tip of upper man- 

 dible much hooked ; nostrils oval, hidden by stiff" bristles. Chin with a 

 tuft of black rigid hairs, tarsus feathered to the toes. 



Gen. Gypsetus. — Storr. 



Characters same as those of the Sub-family. 



Gypsetus barbatus, Storr, Alpenreisse p. 69; Jerd. B. of Ind., 



