1.' .'. 



VULPES. 



VULTURID.F- 



Tbe ostrich approaches to drive away the supposed fox, and a shot 

 by the oonceMed hunter. (' Catalogue of the South African Museum.') 



I*. Batgalaait (Shaw) is brown above, with a longitudinal black 

 band. The apace round the eyes is white, and the tail is terminated 

 with black. It U the Fox of the Dukhun (Deooan), Kokree of the 

 MahratUa, Canu Kokree of Syken, which the Colonel considers to be 

 new to science, although it much resembles the descriptions of the 

 Comae, and is described by him (' Zool Proa,' 1831) as a very pretty 

 animal, but much smaller than the European Fox. 



The Canu Jlinalaicui, Hill Fox of the Europeans in the Boon, in 

 Kumaon, and the more western and elevated parts of the mountains, 

 agrees with the common European and American foxes (C. vulpa and 

 C. ftJrtu) in the black marks on the backs of the ears, and in front of 

 the hind and fore legs. The coat consists of long, close, rich fur, as 

 fine as that of any of the Americau varieties, and of infinitely more 

 brilliant and varied colours. (Royle. ' Flora Himataica.') 



V. Zaarauu, the Fennec. This animal, which has given rise to 

 much controversy, is generally placed by the French zoologists among 

 the Foxes ; but the observations of Mr. Tarrell lead him to pronounce 

 decidedly that the Fennec appears to him to belong to the genus 

 Camii properly so called ; the osteological part of the structure closely 

 resembling that of the dog, and the pupil of the eye being circular. 



The Fennec obtained by Bruce when ho was consul-general at 

 Algiers, was raid to be more frequently found in the territories of 

 Benni Mextab and Werglah, where the date grows. In these districts 

 the Fenneca are hunted for their skins, for which there is a market at 

 Mecca, whence they are exported to India. Bruce, after leaving 

 Algiers, bought two more Fennec*, one at Tunis, which had been 

 brought by the Fezzan caravan to the Island of Oerba, and thence to 

 the place where Bruce procured it ; the other at Senaar, and he knew 

 not whence this last ranie. Both these resembled the first, and were 

 called Fennecs. The Fennec which Bruce had at Algiers lived for 

 several month*, and when he left that place he gave the animal to 

 Captain Cleveland, R.X., who presented it to Mr. Brauder, the Swedish 

 consul. His favourite food consisted of dates or any sweet fruit ; but 

 he was also very fond of eggs. He would eat bread when hungry, 

 more especially if it was rendered palatable by honey or sugar. The 

 sight of a bird aroused him to eager watchfulness as long as it was 

 present ; and a cat was his aversion. He would endeavour to hide 

 from the latter ; but never showed a disposition to resist or defend 

 himself. The animal was disposed to sleep by day, but as night came 

 on it became restless to exces.*. Bruce never heard it utter any 

 sound. He says that the animal is described in many Arabian books 

 under the name of El Fennec, by which appellation he states that it 

 is known all over Africa ; and he conceives that the word is derived 

 from the Greek fou>i& a palm or date-tree, adding that the animal 

 builds his nett on trees, and does not burrow in the earth. 



M. Ruppell has figured and described in his ' Atlas Zu der lleise 

 im Nordliohen Afrika,' together with six other species of Canu, the 

 Fennec, Canu Zerda, Zimm. Three specimens were transmitted to 

 Frankfurt, all perfectly alike in markings, and differing little from each 

 other in size. They were found in the neighbourhood of Amlenkal, 

 and in the desert of Korti, where they inhabit holes made by thein- 

 selvcs. They do not nestle on trees, as Bruce asserted. 



Penntc (rlft, ZaarauU). 



The following species of Vnlpa are given in the ' List of the Speci- 

 mens of Mammalia in the British Museum :' V. vulgari*, the Fox 

 \.JarrMcni, the Persian Fox; V. Azartr, the Agouarachay ; V. Nilo- 

 tic**, the Sabora ; V. iagoput, the Arctic Fox, or Pcszi ; V. ctnerro- 

 aryoKo/w. the Kit-Fox ; V. ful rut , the American Fox, or Makkeeshew ; 

 . Baiyaltiuu, the Kokree; V. JfagcUanicui, the Culpeo; V. Coriac, 



the Corsac ; Y. Caama, the Asse ; V. dortalit, the Senegal Fox ; and 

 V. Zaarrnni, the Fenneo. 



VULPIX1TE, a siliceous variety of the Anhydrous Sulphate of 

 Lime, [ANHYDRITE.] It contains about 8 per cent, of silica, and is 

 a little above the usual hardness of anhydrite (3'5). 



VIM.SKI.LA. [MAI.LBACEA.] 



VULTUR, VULTURE. [VuLTOBiDJt.] 



\ ri.TURID.K, a family of Raptorial Birds, whose geographical 

 distribution U confined to warm climates, where they act as scavengers 

 to purify the earth from the putrid carcasses with which it would 

 otherwise be encumbered. 



It has been matter of dispute whether they are directed to their 

 fetid food, for they seldom prey on living animals, by the eye r l>y 

 the nasal organ. There can however, in our opinion, be little doubt 

 that both the senses are made to contribute to the discovery of the 

 carcass. The lofty flight and telescopic eye are well adapted to detect 

 any dying or dead animal, and as the action of one vulture may be, 

 in all probability is, watched by another, a sort of telegraphic com- 

 munication as to the position, of the object is kept up. [BIRDS ; 

 CONDOR.] 



The genus Vultur of Linnrcus stands first in hi? first order, Accipi- 

 Ires, and consists of the following species : I', gryphm, V. harpyja, 

 V. papa, V. monaehiu, V. aura, V. barbalut, V. percnoptena, and 

 V. albiciOa. (' Syst Nat.,' ed. 12.) 



Cuvier divides this great genus into the following sub-genera : 



The Vultures properly so called, Vultur, Guv. These have a large 

 and strong beak, with the nostrils placed diagonally at its base; the 

 head and the neck without feathers and without caruncles ; a collar 

 of long feathers or of down at the bottom of the neck. The species 

 are found on the ancient continent. 



Sarcoramphus, Dunu'ril. America, Cuvier remarks, produces Vul- 

 tures remarkable for the caruncles which surmount the membrane of 

 the base of their beak, which is as large as that of the preceding 

 genus, but the nostrils ore oval and longitudinal These are the 

 Sarcoramjihi of Dumdril. 



Calharta, Cuv. (GaUinazoi, or Catlutriita, VeilL).- These have the 

 beak of the Sarcoramphi, that is to say, it is stout, and the nostrils 

 are oval and longitudinal ; but there is no fleshy crest, although tlu-ir 

 head and neck are plumeless. 



Percnopterus, Cuv. (Gypaetos, Bechst. ; Neophron, Sav.). The bill 

 in this group is slender, long, a little convex above its curvature ; the 

 nostrils oval and longitudinal ; and the head, but not the neck, 

 denuded of feathers. These are birds of moderate size, and which do 

 not approach the Vultures properly so called in extent of power; they 

 are therefore more ravenous after carrion and all kinds of impurities 

 which attract them from afar ; even excrements are palatable to this 

 filthy race. Illiger comprises both this and the preceding sub-genera 

 under his Catliarles. 



Under this sub-genus Cuvier places the Urubu, Vultur lota, 

 C. Bonap., of America. 



The Griffons (Gypaitot, Storr; Phene, Sav.). These, Cuvior observe*, 

 are arranged by Gmelin under the genus Falco, but approximate more 

 closely to the Vultures in their habits and conformation. Their eyes are 

 placed a fieur de U'-te, their claws are proportionally weak, their wings 

 are half opened in their state of repose, their crop projects from the 

 bottom of the neck when it is full, but the head is entirely covered 

 with feathers. Their distinguishing characters consist of a very strong 

 beak, which is straight, hooked at the point, and convex at the hooked 

 part ; of nostrils covered with stiff bristles directed forwards, and a 

 pencil of similar bristles under the beak. Their tarsi are short and 

 feathered down to the toes ; their wings are long, and the third < mill 

 is the longest. 



Prince Bonaparte makes the Vulturidte the first family of his first 

 order, Accipitret, and notices the following sub-families and genera : 



a. Vulturina. 



Genera -.Neophron, Cathartct, Sarcoramphta, Vultur, and Gypx. 



b. Gi/pa< ! 

 Genus : Qypatloi. 



It must be remembered that none but European and American 

 birds are admitted into this arrangement. 



The VuUurida of Mr. G. R. Gray form the first family of his first 

 sub-order (Aceipitrei Diumi) of his first order (A ccipitret). The 

 following sub-families and genera are placed by Mr. Gray under this 

 family : 



Sub-Family I. Gypactiiur. 



Genus -.Gypaftoi. 



Sub-Family 2. Calhartiaa;. 

 Genera : Neophron, Cathartti, and Sarcoramphta. 



Sub-Family 3. Vutlurinte. 

 Genera :Gypt (Sav.) ; Vultur ; and Otoyypi (Q. R. Gray). 



Sub-Family 4. Racamimre. 



Genus :f/yphoierax, Rttpp. ; Racama, J. E. Gray Vuliur (Qyphoi- 

 erax) anyoleniii. 



We now proceed to give a few illustrative species : 



