38 
At present only two distinct species of Gypactus, are com- 
monly admitted; viz. G. Barbatus, of HKurope, northern and 
western Africa, the Taurus, Persia, Cabool and the Himalayahs, 
and G. Meridionalis from Abyssinia, Arabia and the Cape ; which 
latter has the lower part of the tarsus bare. On the principle, 
however, that constant differentix, even though small, constitute 
a separate species, I am inclined to think that the Cabool and 
Himalayan bird should be specifically separated. 
Captain Hutton named the Afghan bird, so common in the 
Bolan pass and at Quetta in the Shawl valley, G. Hemachalanus, 
distinguishing it chiefly I believe by its dark pectoral band or 
gore vet. Col. “Tytler who was with Captain Hutton m Afgha- 
nistan, and who shote these birds there, assures me that “the 
specimens procured at Simla and elsewhere in the Himalayahs, 
both by himself and myself, have the pectoral band fully as 
well marked as in the Cabool birds. 
Dr. Jerdon says that our bird is said to differ from the Huropean 
bird in the dark gorget, more tawny hue of the lower surface, and 
in the Ist quill being 3:5 inches shorter than the 5rd ; whilst in 
the Kuropean bird itis said only to be a very little shorter. I have 
only seen a single specimen of the HWuropean bird, shot in 1847 
in the Bernese Alps. This one has scarcely a trace of any gorget, 
and has the chin, throat and sides of neck, which in our bird are 
always, in the adult, (at least in all the 20 odd specimens I have 
examined) a rusty red (often very bright and deep,) a pale rusty 
white. The talons too appear less curved and powerful in the 
European than in our bird. As regards the length of the 
primaries, the Huropean bird had the first primary fully 2 2 inches 
shorter than the third, while m six adult Biel an birds 
the Ist primary varied from 4 to 5:75 inches shorter than the 
8rd, while the 2nd, which in the Behe bird (I refer to the 
single specimen that I have examined) is almost equal to the 
8rd, in these Indian birds varied from 1:5 to 0°5 shorter than 
this latter. Again Dr. Bree gives the length of the Huropean 
bird at 4 feet 7 inches. I have as yet succeeded in obtaiming no 
individual (and I have killed some superb adults) exceeding 
4 feet 1 inch im length. Adult males average 44 inches, females 
47 and 48. 
In Europe it would seem to carry off children, and to bear 
away Foxes, Lambs, and the like, but in the Himalayahs (re- 
jecting good Bishop Heber’s story, which the present native 
inhabitants of Almora altogether discredit), I have heard no 
authenticated instance, of its carrying off anything larger than a 
Marmot or a Iitten, or of its being as a rule other than a carrion or 
‘offal eater. Let a cow or goat die anywhere, and the Lammer- 
