THE EGYPTIAN NEOPHRON. 45 



The Egyptian Neophron (Vultur Perenopterus), 

 Linn., 



which stands next in order of the Baptores, and set down 

 also as an O.Y., from having once been shot in Britain. It is 

 the smallest of all the vultures, which, besides its usefulness as 

 a scavenger in Egypt, may have given rise to its synonym of 

 " Pharaoh's chicken." It inhabits chiefly the shores of the 

 Mediterranean sea. The adult has the front of the head, the 

 upper part of the throat, and cere naked, and of a bright yellow 

 or pale flesh colour. The plumage is pure white, with the 

 exception of the quill feathers, which are black. The legs, feet, 

 and base of the bill are yellow or pale grey, which handsome 

 livery gives the neophron — in spite of his carrion-gorging habits 

 ' — a rather striking and attractive appearance. This general 

 bearing brings him nearer to the typical falcon than his more 

 forbidding though as useful congeners. The plumage is the 

 same in the adults of both sexes. But the young of the first 

 year are of a dark brown, slightly spotted, with lighter brown 

 and white, and do not attain their mature livery until two or 

 three years. The specimen alluded to was shot in Somersetshire, 

 in October 1825. When first seen it was feeding on a dead 

 sheep, and had so gorged itself as to be unable or unwilling to 

 fly to any great distance, and was therefore approached 

 without much difficulty and shot. Another bird similar was 

 seen at the same time upon the wing, at no great distance, which 

 remained in the neighbourhood a few days, but could never be 

 approached within range, and was supposed to be the mate of 

 the one killed. Mr Selby, who had the shot bird in his posses- 

 sion for description, says — "Judging from the description given 

 by Temnick and others — indicate a young bird, probably of the 

 first or second year." Like many other species of this order 

 the changes of the plumage in its progress to maturity, and the 

 different appearance it has under each, have given rise to the 

 fictitious creation of several supposed species, as is evident from 

 the great number of synonyms — no less than twenty can be 

 quoted — which could all be traced to the same species. 



In its affinities it is closely allied to those American vultures 

 -which form the genus Cathartes, as now restricted by many 

 ornithologists, and may, in fact, be considered as their repre- 

 sentative on the ancient Continent. It also, in some respects, 



