22 



THE SOCIABLE VULTURE. 



contents itself by feeding on any carrion which may come in its way. Sometimes, however, 

 after a protracted fast, its fears are overruled by its hunger, and the bird makes a raid upon 

 the sheepfolds or the goat-flocks, in the hope of carrying off a tender lamb or kid. In these 

 illegal excursions the bird often pays the penalty of its transgression with its life, being too 

 hungry to be watchful, and easily shot. Hares and other small animals also fall victims tc 

 the starving Vulture, and it is said that even deer are slain by the united efforts of a pair of 

 these birds. 



GROUP OF TRUE VULTURES. 



The usual haunts of this species are situated on the mountain tops, and the bird does not 

 descend into the valleys except when pressed by hunger. The specific title of monacTius or 

 Monk has been given to this species on account of the hood-like ruff around its neck, which is 

 thought to bear a fanciful resemblance to the hood of a monk. 



THE name of SOCIABLE VULTUBE, which has been bestowed npon the bird now to be 

 described, is supposed to be founded upon an error of observation. 



Le Vaillant, who has given a somewhat detailed description of this species, found several 

 of - the nests in close proximity, and supposed from that circumstance that this Vulture was a 

 gregarious bird. It seems, however, from more recent observation, that the proximity of 

 these nests was merely accidental, and that although several nests may have been found near 

 each other, they were not all inhabited simultaneously. It is the habit of many birds to build 

 a new nest close to a deserted one, and such seems to have been the case with the Sociable 

 Vulture. In their character they are anything but social, for it is but seldom that more than 

 three or four of these birds can be seen together, and even in that case they are drawn together 



