EGYPTIAN VULTURE. 9 



be derived from Rahama, a name applied to a particular 

 breed of sheep in Arabia Felix, which are black and 

 white. Bruce, however, thinks this name has a different 

 origin, and derived from higher antiquity, since Rachma, 

 or the Vulture, was sacred to Isis, and considered as an 

 emblem of parental affection ; he therefore thinks it may 

 be derived from the Hebrew, Rechem, which signifies 

 female love or attachment. Bruce adds, that this bird 

 builds its nest in the most deserted parts of ;hc country, 

 and lays but tw r o eggs. The parent biid c attend their 

 young with great care, and feed them for the first four 

 months. It is considered a breach of order to kill any 

 one of these birds in Cairo. They are efficient scaven- 

 gers. 



From Turkey this species ranges over Arabia and Per- 

 sia, and has been found in the Russian dominions as far 

 north as Astrakhan, from whence it again extends east- 

 ward and southward, and has been taken in various parts 

 of India. Colonel Sykes remarks of them, " that they 

 are always found in cantonments and camps." Sonnini 

 states that during the French occupation of Egypt, the 

 first sound of the cannon brought these and other birds 

 of similar tastes from every direction to the summons. 



In the adult bird, the whole length from the point of 

 the beak to the end of the tail is from twenty-six to 

 twenty-nine inches ; and specimens from Africa are 

 observed to be the largest in size. The cere and beak 

 are yellow, the point brown; the irides red; the naked 

 skin of the cheeks and front of the neck yellowish 

 flesh colour ; the feathers of the occiput and back of the 

 neck slightly elongated: all the plumage white except 

 the primary and secondary wing-feathers, the first of 

 which are wholly black ; the second have the proximal 

 half black, which colour, extending beyond the ends 



