2 BIRDS OP SOUTH AFRICA. 



and the cere of base of the upper mandible entirely hidden 

 by projecting bristles. 



Genus GYPAETUS, Storr. 

 Bill strong, lengthened : upper mandible elevated near the 

 end, which is hooked ; under mandible provided beneath with 

 a bunch of setaceous bristles directed forwards. Nostrils 

 oval, covered and defended by bristles. Feet short : the 

 three anterior toes united to their base by a membrane ; the 

 middle toe very long ; claws but slightly curved. Wings 

 long ; the first quill rather shorter than the second ; the 

 third longest. 



No. 1. Gypaetus Meridionalis. Bp. striki. 



Orni. Syn., p. 17. The Bearded Vulture. Arend of 

 Colonists. 



Top of head dirty white, bill black ; circle round the eyes, 

 space between them and bill covered with black stifi' hair, 

 which extends on each side to the base of the lower mandible. 

 A tuft of similar hair, of considerable length, projects out- 

 wards from under the bill. Back, wings, and tail dark 

 blackish ash, each feather being light in the centre and darker 

 on the edges, with white shafts and blotches. Shafts of 

 wing and tail feathers white : tail wedge-shaped, under parts 

 white, tinged and coated with a reddish substance, which can 

 be scraped off. Length, 3' 10 ; wing, 2' 8"; tail, 1' 9". 



This noble bird is locally distributed in the hilly parts of the colony. 

 1 have seen it often in Bain's Kloof, near Wellington ; also in the high 

 mountains round Mr. Jackson's residence at Nel's Poort, near Beau- 

 fort. From this gentleman I have received sundry specimens, and he 

 informs me that several pairs constantly breed in his neighbourhood ; 

 also that they will kill lambs and sickly sheep. A pair of young birds 

 was sent to the South African Museum from GraafF-Eeinet by Mr. 

 Ziervogel, the member for that division, who tells me it is a constant 

 (though rare) resident there. Mr. Atmore found it about Blanco. He 

 writes. May 25, 1864 :— 



" We are going to lay wait for an ' Arend ' to-morrow evening. He 

 always sits on one particular yellow-wood tree in the forest ; but he 

 examines the premises very closely before he perches. What a beau- 

 tiful flight they have, sailing about without even flapping a wing ; and 

 when they stoop they come out of the sky like a lightning flash. There 

 are several here, and we know of a nest ; but they breed late, so no 

 chance of eggs ; but we will give it a look up on our return trip." 



Mr. G. R. Gray believes this species to be identical with the Euro- 

 pean G. Bartatus, Linn. ; indeed, he only admits the existence of one 

 species. 



