VULTURES, EAGLES, ETC. 241 



to rise from the ground after a heavy gorge, but as 

 a rule they manage to make a better start than 

 adjutants do under like circumstances, in spite of the 

 seeming advantage which the latter birds have in the 

 length of their legs. As they leave the ground they 

 gather up their feet and legs under them at once, but 

 in preparing to alight they drop them vertically for 

 some time before reaching their halting-place, and 

 sweep along close to the surface as though they were 

 feeling for it. On reaching the ground they trot 

 about over it with an awkward, waddling gait, and 

 often with their wings slightly raised and somewhat 

 expanded. They are very fond of basking in strong 

 sunshine, and are often to be seen lying flattened out 

 on the sloping banks of ponds with their great wings 

 extended in a way that readily explains why a 

 vulture in such an attitude should have come to be 

 a common solar emblem with the old Egyptians. 

 In spite of the numbers of vultures that haunt the 

 neighbourhood of Calcutta, very few seem to nest 

 there. This cannot be ascribed to any dislike to the 

 vicinity of a large town as a nesting-place, for there 

 used to be a large colony of nests in the Roshinara 

 Garden at Delhi. The trees in which the nests were 

 placed in this case were of no great height, but, in 

 spite of this, the birds seemed to be rather offended 

 than alarmed when any one halted to take a look at 

 them. They are ordinarily very silent birds, but 

 whilst carrying out their matrimonial duties they 



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