364 Lieut. H. E. Kelham on 



The peninsula, more particular its western half, is now 

 being extensively worked by ornithologists from India ; so 

 before very long, doubtless, its birds and their habits will be 

 much better known than they are at present. 



Otogyps calvus (Scop.). 



Early in February 1877, near Kwala Kangsar, on the 

 Perak river, I came across one of these Vultures in company 

 with several of the common brown species, Pseudogyps benga- 

 lensis. They were all busily engaged feeding on the decaying 

 carcase of a buffalo, but rose at my approach ; and this bird 

 flew so close over head that a charge of snipe-shot brought it 

 flapping to the ground. Except on this occasion, I never met 

 with 0. calvus; nor did I see any specimens in the Malaccan 

 or Singapore collections. My bird was an adult, of such dark 

 plumage as, at a short distance, to look quite black ; legs, 

 bare skin of head and neck pinky red, irides yellow. 



Pseudogyps bengalensis (Gm.). 



The common Vulture of the country, collecting in the 

 most marvellous manner wherever there is carrion. 



One evening in Perak I lay concealed at the edge of the 

 thick jungle, and watched for a long time a crowd of these 

 scavengers squabbling over a dead buff"alo, which had died 

 on some open ground within 50 yards of where I was. They 

 became so gorged that, on my coming out of the bushes, 

 it was with difliculty they took to wing, then flying but a 

 short distance and squatting in rows along the upper 

 branches of a large dead tree, from which I picked off three 

 of their number with my pea-rifle. 



Across the wings, from tip to tip, they measured slightly 

 under 7 feet ; irides dark brown ; legs, bare skin of head and 

 neck black. 



MiCROHIERAX FRINGILLARIUS (Drap.) . 



This tiny Falcon, not much larger than a Sparrow, is 

 plentiful in the south of the peninsula, and on the island of 

 Singapore. 



I noticed it was particularly fond of perching on the upper 

 branches of dead trees, from its elevated position making 



