AVES. 553 



eenm Afrihaanschen roofvogel, Sagittarius genaamd ; Amsterd, 1 769 (with 

 a col. fig.), Lath. Synoj^sis i. PI. 11., Less. Ornith. PI. 3, fig. 2, Guerin 

 Iconogr., Ois. PI. 3, fig. 4 ; the cere and the naked region round the eyes 

 yellow, hack bluish-grey, thighs black, a crest of long, black feathers 

 behind the head ; length 3 feet. This South African bird feeds chiefly on 

 snakes, like Circaetus galUcus (see above p. 550) in Europe. 



Family LIV. Vulturince. Bill moderate, with ciilmen straight 

 at the base, constricted in front of cere, cm-ved towards the tip; 

 upper mandible with margin sinuate, never dentigerous. Tarsi re- 

 ticulate with scales, sometimes hirsute or semi-hirsute. Middle toe 

 much longer than lateral toes; outer toes conjoined at the base by 

 membrane. Claws slightly curved, obtuse. (In most the head and 

 upper part of neck are naked or beset with scattered plumules. 

 Eyes surrounded by the flattened face, not placed in a depression 

 under exsert plumes.) 



Oyimetus Stork, Phene Savigny. Bill moderate, compressed ; 

 upper mandible ascending in front of cere, then cmwed, with tip 

 hooked. Nostrils vertical, oval, beset with recumbent, rigid, dense 

 bristles. Head closely plumed, bearded with rigid setse under the 

 bill. Feet short, with tarsi hirsute to the toes. Wings long, with 

 first quill somewhat short, second and third subequal, longest of all. 

 Tail cuneate, somewhat long. 



Sp. Gypaetus barbatus Cuv., Vidtur barbcdus L., Falco barbatus Gii., and 

 Vidtur barbatus ejusd., Temm. PI. col. 431, Natim. Taf. 4, 5, Gder, 

 Iconogr., Ois. PL i, fig. 4, Less. Ornith., PI. 6, fig. 2. Gray Gener. PI. i ; 

 der Lamviergeier, der Geieradler; this bird lives on lofty mountains, 

 especially of the South of Europe and West of Asia. It feeds chiefly on 

 goats, lambs and chamois, which it kills by casting them down from the 

 precipice ; the feet are not very strong, and less adapted for the seizing and 

 retaining of prey. It attains a length of nearly 4 feet, whilst it is 9 or 10 

 feet from tip to tip of wings. On the Pyrenees and in Sardinia a variety^ 

 constantly smaller, is met with (Kuester Isis, 1835, s. 209, Schleg. in 

 SusEM. Vog. Ear. s. 19). More interesting appears to be the difference 

 which the African Laramergeier presents; in which the tarsi are not 

 destitute of feathers below. {Gypaetus meridionalis Blas. and Ketsekl., 

 KuEPPELL Syst. Uebers. der Vogel. N. 0. Afr. Taf. i.) 



GypoMerax Rueppell, Racama Gray. Bill shorter than head, 

 compressed, with culmen curved towards the tip, which is acute. 

 Nostrils vertical placed in the naked cere. Region at the base of 

 bill and around the eyes naked. Wings with third and fourth quills 



