8 vulturidj:. 



occurred in Madeira. Tangier seems to be its most westerly 

 limit on the African mainland, and thence the first eggs of this 

 species seen in England were obtained from M. Favier in 1845, 

 by the late Mr. John Wolley, as has elsewhere been mentioned 

 (Ootheca Wolleyana, p. 1), They are subject to great varia- 

 tion in size and colour, being blotched and mottled with 

 dark or light red, sometimes so closely that the white ground 

 is not visible. They measure from 2-68 to 2'32 by 2*2 to 

 l'72in. In Algeria the species is abundant, and, according 

 to Mr. Salvin, " wherever a cliff exists in the mountains 

 that surround the table-lands of the Eastern Atlas, sure 

 enough it will be occupied by a pair." It visits also all the 

 oases of the Desert in summer, and follows the nomad camps 

 for offal. The nest is said by Canon Tristram to be placed 

 on a rocky ledge, and to consist of a foundation of branches, 

 on which are heaped "rags, patches, old slippers, and whole 

 basketsful of camels' hair and wool." 



From the vicinity of Tangier this species passes over to 

 Portugal, where the Eev. A. C. Smith fell in with it on many 

 occasions ; it is common in summer in Spain, especially in 

 Andalucia, where it fearlessly follows the plough, according 

 to Lord Lilford. It inhabits and breeds on the Pyrenees and 

 in Lower Provence. It has occurred in Germany, and Buffon 

 received an adult specimen from Norway ; it is not, therefore, 

 at all surprising that this bird should have been taken in 

 England. The Norwegian specimen, placed by him in the 

 National Cabinet, was compared by Le Vaillant with his 

 Cape specimens, and he was convinced they were of the same 

 species. 



Malta, Sicily, Corfu, and Crete, with other islands of the 

 Mediterranean Sea, are, as might be expected, visited by this 

 Vulture. Bruce, and many travellers after him, says it is 

 frequent in Egypt and about Cairo, where it is called by the 

 Europeans "Pharaoh's Hen." In Arabic it is called Bachmah. 

 This name, Avith its Hebrew equivalent, liacham, rendered in 

 the English Bible " Gier-eagle," is supposed to be derived 

 from liechem, which signifies love or attachment ; probably, 

 says Canon Tristram, from the male and female never parting 



