642 EAPTOEES, OR BIEDS OF PEEY. 



of Pharaoh's Chickens, by which they are designated in Egyptian. 

 Although they do not manifest much inclination for living prey, 

 they will sometimes attack small mammals which are incapable 

 of defence or flight. The Crow is an adversary whose superiority 

 they never fail to acknowledge, and rarely dare to resist. 



The Pondicherry Vulture ( Vultur ponticerianus) , the Indian 

 Vulture {Vultur indicus), and Kolbe's Vulture {Vultur Kolbii), 

 are also deserving of notice; the two former are found prin- 

 cipally in Hindostan, the latter in difierent parts of Africa as well 

 as Java. 



The Vultures properly so called {Vultur, Cuv.) have the head 

 and neck bare, the latter being surrounded at its base by a ruff' 

 or collar of feathers ; the nostrils round or oval ; the tarsi bare 

 or feathered on the upper portion ; the middle toe very long. ; 

 the wings pointed, and almost hanging down to the ground. 

 Their faculty of flight, although powerful, is slow and heavy ; 

 they take wing with difficulty, and this fact has procured for them 

 their name of Vultur {volatus tardus, slow flight). Preferring 

 putrid meat, they feed but little on flesh in a fresh state, although 

 they do not absolutely refuse it ; they consequently seldom attack 

 living animals. 



Buffon has branded the Vulture with a stigma of infamy which 

 will always cast an odium on its name. " Vultures," says he, 

 " are actuated by nothing but a degraded instinct of gluttony and 

 greediness. They will never contend with the living if they can 

 glut their appetites on the dead. The Eagle attacks its enemies 

 or its victims face to face ; it pursues them, fights them, and 

 seizes them by its own individual prowess. Vultures, on the 

 contrary, however slight may be the resistance which they antici- 

 pate, combine in flocks like cowardly assassins, and are rather 

 thieves than warriors — birds of carnage rather than birds of prey ; 

 for these are the only birds which are so madly devoted to carrion 

 that they pick the very bones of a decajang carcass. Corruption 

 and infection seem to attract instead of repelling them." Further 

 on, too, he adds, " In comparing birds with quadrupeds, the Vul- 

 ture seems to combine the strength and cruelty of the tiger with 

 the cowardice and gluttony of the jackal." 



The great naturalist has, however, somewhat calumniated the 



