VULTURES. 607 



of standing a great amount of cold : when snow covers the ground 

 in the great stock-raising State of Illinois they may be seen congre- 

 gated in numbers wherever carrion is to be found. 



The Alpine Vulture (Percnoptents) is to the Old World what the 

 Urubu and the Turkey Buzzard are to the New. It is very common 

 in Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Arabia. In Constantinople and other 

 Eastern cities it performs the duty of the scavenger by removing all 

 the putrid matter which the carelessness and apathy of.the inhabitants^ 

 allow to remain in the streets. A great amount of respect is con- 

 sequently paid them ; and although the law inflicts no penalty for 

 killing them, they nevertheless enjoy the most perfect security in the 

 midst of the Mussulman population. 



These birds were well known to the ancients, who gave them the 

 name of Percnopterus on account of the colour of their wings. The 

 Egyptians classed them among sacred birds, and often represented 

 them on their monuments as religious symbols. Flocks of them are 

 in the habit of following caravans across the desert ; and, as they 

 invariably accompany the pilgrims in their journey to Mecca every 

 year, some devout Mussulmans have bequeathed money sufficient to 

 feed numbers of these birds which manifest such fidelity to the faith 

 of Islam. 



They are about the size of a Domestic Fowl ; hence they obtain 

 the name of Pharaoh's Chickens, by which they are designated in 

 Egypt. Although they do not manifest much inclination for living 

 prey, they will sometimes attack small mammals which are incapable 

 of defence or flight. The Crow is an adversary whose superiority they 

 never fail to acknowledge, and rarely dare to resist. 



The Pondicherry Vulture ( Vultur ponticerianus\ the Indian 

 Vulture ( Vultur indicus), and Kolbe's Vulture ( Vultur Kolbii], are 

 also deserving of notice ; the two former are found principally in 

 Hindostan, the latter in different parts of Africa as well as Java. 



The Vultures properly so called ( Vultur, Cuv.) have the head and 

 neck bare, the latter being surrounded at its base by a ruff or collar 

 of feathers ; the nostrils round or oval ; the tarsi bare or feathered 

 on the upper portion ; the middle toe very long ; the wings pointed, 

 and almost hanging down to the ground. Their flight, although 

 powerful, is slow and heavy ; they take wing with difficulty, and this 

 fact has procured for them their name of Vuitur (volatus tardus, 

 slow flight). Preferring putrid meat, they feed but little on flesh in 

 a fresh state, although they do not absolutely refuse it ; they con- 

 sequently seldom attack living animals. 



Buffon has* branded the Vulture with a stigma of infamy which 



