68 Mr. P. W. Munn on the Birds 



objects below^ as well as what his comrades are doing. 

 Suddenly one Vulture espies a likely-looking object, and 

 commences to circle slowly downwards towards it, while the 

 other Vultures nearest instantly become interested and hurry 

 up to see what it has found. By this time the lucky finder 

 will have wheeled down to the carcass with great sweeps, 

 and with a rush of wings will have perched close to it. 

 After waiting and looking round for a few moments, he 

 will hobble towards it and commence tearing it with his 

 beak, and, standing on it, will pull out great beakfuls from 

 the part held down by his feet. The other Vultures, seeing 

 it is a worthy prey, will now all be sweeping and circling 

 down to it, and from every point of the compass will come 

 hurrying up others, which from a distance have observed 

 those birds nearest to them flying towards the point where 

 the carcass is, Soon it will be surrounded by a tearing, 

 gobbling, and fighting crowd, — until perhaps a Black Vulture 

 {Otogyps calvus) appears upon the scene, when all, except 

 perchance one or two bolder ones, retire and make way for him, 

 standing around the carcass enviously until he has eaten his 

 fill, and afraid to approach while he is there. After gorging 

 themselves, leaving nothing remaining but the bones, they 

 will remain seated around the spot until the meal is digested, 

 when they, one by one, after a short run, aided by gigantic 

 flappings of the wings, will launch out into the air, and, with 

 grand swaying flight, betake themselves to their roosting- 

 places for the night. 



They are never seen carrying victuals to their young, so 

 they probably feed their offspring on disgorged food. 



107. Otogyps calvus. (Black Vulture.) 



A permanent resident, but not at all plentiful. Occasion- 

 ally one may be noticed among a crowd of Pseuclogyps 

 bengalensis and Gyps indicus, but never associating with the 

 common herd. 



108. Tantalus leucocephalus. (Pelican Ibis.) 



On June 2, 1889, I saw an immense flock of these birds 

 resting in the dry paddy-fields near Pundua on the E. I. 

 Railway. 



