6 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



obtained from tlie Frenchhoek mountains, about 50 miles from Cape 

 Town, are of a dirty white ground, profusely blotched and speckled 

 with deep red-brown (dried-blood colour), especially at the obtuse end, 

 where the blotches become confluent. Axis, 3" 9'"; diam., 2" 9"'. 

 Another specimen is nearly spotless, and throughout of a dirty white. 

 In the Zwartberg mountains this species builds on dense, flat-topped 

 bushes, forming a vast accumulation of sticks, so closely matted together 

 that a single nest will hold and sustain the weight of several men. This 

 is resorted to for several years, until the lice and insects generated 

 in the mass become unbearable to the parent birds. I have never heard 

 of more than one egg in a nest. 



Genus GYPS, Savigny. 

 Bill lengthened, with the culmen gradually hooked to the 

 tip and rounded ; the sides rather swollen ; the nostrils 

 oblong-ovate and oblique. The other characters are like 

 those of Vultur ; but the head and neck are clothed with 

 short down , and the nape ornamented with a ruff of lanceolate 

 feathers, or of lengthened downy feathers. 



6. Gyps FulvUS, Gmel. G. Vulgaris, Savig. VvX- 

 tur Kolbii, Daud et Lath. ; Le Chassefierde, Le Vail.t 

 PI. 10 ; Aasvogel of Dutch Colonists ; RUpp. Atlas, t. 32. 



General colour fulvous ; head and neck covered with short 

 dirty whitish hairs ; lower part of cervix bare and bluish ; 

 lower part of throat and middle of breast covered with short 

 grey-brown feathers ; whitish down on the rest of throat, 

 sides of neck and upper part of cervix ; a ruff of short white 

 feathers on the back and lower part of neck ; wing and tail 

 feathers very dark-brown. Length, 3' 9" ; wing, 2' 4" ; 

 tail, 12". 



The common Fulvous Vulture is found throughout the colony and 

 Natal, and still lingers even in the neighbourhood of Cape Town. 

 They breed in the most inaccessible precipices, depositing a few sticks 

 in some hollow of the rock, on which I am informed they lay two eggs. 

 Le Vaillant says these are bluish white ; but one given to me, as the 

 egg of this bird, is of a dirty white, profusely blotched and speckled 

 with very light brown, particularly at the obtuse end. Axis, 3" 9"' ; 

 diam., 2" 10'". 



At Nel'a Poort is a breeding place of these birds. It is situated half- 

 way up a vast inaccessible precipice, and is their constant resort at all 

 times of the year. It is frequented by great numbers of birds, and 

 their dung whitens the cliff to such an extent, that the spot is visibla 

 many miles off. They have bred in this place from time immemorial, 

 and from it they range over the surrounding country. On killing a 

 Bpringbuck or any animal, it is curious to see how they come trooping 

 in a lengthened string from this place to their anticipated banquet. 

 Though not one may be visible when the shot is iired, in seven or eight 

 minutes hundreds will be gliding to the spot. 



