8 RAPTORIAL BIRDS 
single species, a native of tropical Africa, which is 
usually called the Angola Vulture, but which 1s scarcely 
entitled to that designation, as it differs from the Vul- 
tures, properly so called, in having its head clothed 
with feathers, and also in its habits, for, instead of 
feeding like the Vultures on carrion, it frequents the 
sea coasts, and lives like the Sea-Eagles by the capture 
of fish, though it varies its diet by also preying upon 
crabs. 
The true Vultures are divided into the following 
genera — lVeophron, Coragyps, Cathartes, Gryphus, 
Sarcoramphus, Vultur, and Gyps. 
The genus /Veophron consists of three species, of 
which one is found only in tropical and Southern 
Africa, another occurs in India, and the third, which 
bears the name of the Egyptian Vulture, is distributed 
throughout Africa, Southern Europe, and South-west- 
ern Asia. 
The predilection of all the true Vultures, for feeding 
on unclean offal, is most strongly developed in all the 
species of the genus (Veophron, which, on that account, 
are most useful scavengers in those hot countries 
which they inhabit. 
The Egyptian Vulture is interesting as having been 
satisfactorily identified, through the medium of its 
modern Arabic name of Rachama, with the unclean 
bird mentioned in the English version of the Penta- 
teuch, under the title of ‘‘ Gier—Eagle.” 
The four succeeding genera contain the American 
