VULTURIDJE. 3 



The Second Sub-Family, 



SARCORAMPHINJE, or Condors, 



have the bill lengthened, and rather slender, with the basal 

 portion more or less covered with a soft cere ; the apical 

 part strong, much curved, and acutely hooked at the tip ; 

 the nostrils placed in the cere, with the opening large, ex- 

 posed, oblong, and longitudinal ; the wings lengthened and 

 pointed ; the tarsi long, and covered with small reticulated 

 scales ; the middle toe lengthened ; the lateral ones short, 

 equal, and united with the middle by a membrane ; the hind 

 toe generally short and weak. 



Genus NEOPHRON, Savigny. 

 Bill very long and slender, with the cere covering 

 two-thirds of its length, the apical portion rather arched, 

 and acutely hooked at the tip, and the sides compressed ; the 

 nostrils placed near the middle of the bill, longitudinal and 

 exposed. Wings lengthened and acute, with the third quill 

 the longest. Tail moderate and wedge-shaped. Tarsi the 

 length of the middle toe, plumed below the knee, and 

 covered with moderate-sized, reticulated scales. Toes length- 

 ened and slender, with the lateral ones nearly equal, the 

 inner one the strongest, and all strongly scutellated above ; 

 the hind toe as long as the inner, and strong ; the claws 

 moderate, strong, and curved, especially that of the inner 

 toe. The front of the head, cheeks, and fore part of the 

 throat denuded of feathers, 



2. Neophron Percnopterus. (Linn.) pi. Eni., 



427,429; VOurigourap., Le V., PL 14; Witte Eraai 

 of Colonists, lit. White Croio ; Percnopterus uEgyptiacua, 

 Steph. ; Vultur Ginginianus, Daud., Lath. Hist., PI. 5 ; 

 Gould's B. of Eur., PI. 3. 



General colour dirty white ; feathers of nape narrow, 

 elongated, and pointed ; quill feathers of wings black ; 

 secondaries greyish black ; tail white ; bill long, slender, 

 horn-coloured at the tip, yellow at the base ; space round the 

 eyes, cheeks, ears, chin, and part of throat bare and yellow. 

 Length, 2' 3"; wing, 1' 10"; tail, 1' 11". The young bird 

 is wholly of a dirty dark-brown. 



Said to be common m the Interior and about Namac[ualand. Mr. 

 Aj^res (Ibis Vol., 1859, p. 236) states that it is rare m Natal. At 

 this end of the Cape Colony it is decidedly a scarce species ; but 



B 2 



