6 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
identified on the Zambesi, but no specimens were preserved by him 
or by Dr. Dickerson. Mr. Andersson obtained it in Great Namaqua 
Land and also near the Seeo-Kaama Hill, §.W. of Lake Ngami. It 
is further known from north-eastern Africa and Senegambia. 
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 in the adult and 
brown in the immature plumage, which at the back is elongated and 
reversed. Length, 3’; wing, 1’ 11”; tail, 9”. 
Fig. Temm. Pl, Col. 13. 
5, NEoPHRON PERCNOPTERUS. Egyptian Vulture. 
At this end of the Cape Colony this is decidedly a scarce species ; 
but few specimens:have reached our hands. We saw a single bird 
feeding on a dead horse, off which it drove three hungry white- necked 
Crows not far from the Paarl. It is very abundant at the Cape de 
Verde Islands, breeding in the rocky precipices in St. Vincent’s, at 
the back of the town, off which the steamers lie to coal. We ascended 
to their nests, which were vast masses of sticks ; but were, we believe, 
too late (December) for theireggs. Mr. Atmore has found it breeding 
about Swellendam, and Mr. A. F. Ortlepp near Colesberg. The 
latter gentleman writes that beneath the nest he found ‘‘ vast num- 
bers of the crania of small Rodents.” 
A couple of magnificent eggs were sent to me from the neigh- 
bourhood of Hopefield in the Malmesbury Division, taken from a nest 
in a krantz, which is said to be tenanted yearly by a pair of these 
birds. Mr. Rickard has procured the species at East London, and 
informs us that it is also said to frequent a krantz on the Buffalo 
river where Gyps kolbi breeds. 
Mr. Andersson records it as “ not uncommon in Damara Land and 
Great Namaqua Land and the parts adjacent, more especially in the 
neighbourhood of the coast.”” The Leiden Museum also possesses an 
example from Benguela. On the eastern part of South Africa it is 
decidedly a scarce species, being very rare in Natal according to Mr. 
Ayres, and in the Zambesi district it was only once observed in the 
mountains to the South of Nyassa by Dr. Kirk, who says :—“ It is 
a rare bird and was nowhere else obtained.” Mr. T, E. Buckley 
found it rare in the Matabili country. 
SS ee —— 
