VULTURID^. 5 



scales. The middle toe rather longer than the tarsi, and 

 united to the outer by a membrane at the base ; the hind toe 

 as long as the inner one ; and all covered with strong trans- 

 verse scales, and armed with slightly-curved, strong, rather 

 acute claws, especially those of the inner and hind toes. 

 Head covered with scattered down ; the occiput generally 

 furnished with an elevated transverse crest of closely-set 

 down ; and the neck-ruff advancing upwards towards the 

 hinder part of the head. 



4. Vultur Occipitalis. Burch. Trav., S. Afr, II., 

 p. 329 ; Rlipp Atlas, t. 22 ; Vultur galericulatus, Temm., 

 PI. Col. 13 ; Le V., PI. 12. 



General colour above, blackish brown ; thighs, under part of 

 body, and neck white ; quill feathers of wing and tail black ; 

 bare part of neck, space round eyes, and base of bill white ; 

 bill and feet flesh-coloured. Top of head covered with white 

 down, which at the back is elongated and reversed. 

 Length, 3' ; wing, 1' U" ; tail, 9". 



I received two specimens of this vulture from the late Mr. H. MofFafc, 

 jr., wliich were killed at Kuruman, where Mr. James Chapman tells 

 me they are plentiful, and that their habits assimilate to those of the 

 common vulture. Mr. Ayres quotes it from Natal ; but it does not 

 appear to come within the boundaries of this colony. 



Genus OTOGYPS, Gray. 

 Characters in common with V^ultar ; but the head and 

 neck are bare of feathers or down ; and the sides of the latter 

 are furnished with lengthened wattles (or wrinkles) from 

 each ear. 



5. Otogyps Auricularis. Baud. (Sp.) roHcou, 



Le v., PI. 9 ; Zwarte Aasvogel and Black Vulture of 



Colonists. 

 General colour above, brown ; head and neck bare ; upper 

 part of breast covered with short brown feathers, surrounded 

 by a ring of white down ; feathers of abdomen elongated, 

 dark-brown in the centre, light-brown at the edges ; thighs 

 covered with thick white down. Length, 4' ; wing, 2' 7" ; 

 tail, 13". 



The Black Vulture is pretty generally distributed (but is not seen in 

 such large flocks as the fulvous species, frbm; which it keeps aloof), 

 sailing round in enormous circles, at a great altitude. It usually hunts 

 in pairs, and seems to have dominion over the common species. 



Le Vaillant states that the eggs are white j but those which I have 



