VULTUR. BIRDS. 181 



ORDER I. RAPACES. 



BILL short, strong ; upper mandible covered at its base by a 

 membrane or cere, compressed on the sides, and hooked to- 

 wards its extremity ; nostrils open ; legs strong, muscular, 

 short, or of medium length, feathered to the knee or toes ; 

 toes three before and one behind, divided, or united at the 

 base by a membrane, rough below, armed with powerful claws, 

 sharp, retractile, and hooked. 



The birds comprised in this order bear a relation in their mode of life to the Car- 

 nivora among the Mammalia. Almost all of them live on animal food. Some 

 take their prey alive ; others clear the ground of the noxious remains of dead animals ; 

 ethers feed on fishes and reptiles ; and a few species live chiefly on insects. Those 

 which pursue their prey by day have hence been termed diurnal birds ; others flying 

 only in the twilight, have been denominated nocturtiaL The females are always 

 larger than the males. The number of their eggs seldom exceeds four. 



Gen. 1. VULTUR, Illiger, Tern. 



Bill thick and short, deeper than broad, its base covered by a 

 cere ^ upper mandible straight, bent towards the point ; un- 

 der mandible straight, rounded, and inclined at the point ; 

 head naked, or covered with a short down ; nostrils naked, 

 lateral, opening diagonally towards the edge of the cere ; legs 

 strong, furnished with slightly bent claws ; the middle toe 

 longest, and united with the exterior one at the base. 



These birds, feeding on carrion, are of service in removing dead animal remains. 

 Their figure is as disgusting as their habits. The conformation of their toes and 

 nails deprive them of the power of attacking or carrying off living prey. They fly 

 slowly, and walk heavily, but their sight is acute; and, though some naturalists 

 have asserted their sense of smell to be so acute as to guide them at great distances 

 to their food, yet there is reason to think that this faculty has been much overrated. 



V. cinereus, Lin. Posterior part of the head and neck naked, and 

 of a bluish colour, the rest of the neck covered by a fawn-coloured 

 down ; cere bluish flesh-colour ; tarsus half feathered, its naked 

 part round the toes of a pale blue; the claws black. About 3J feet 

 long. Inhabits the mountains and forests of Europe. Tern. 4. 

 Vultur Bengalensis, Gmel. Lath. ; Grand Vautour, BufF. ; Le Vautour noir 

 d'Egypte, Savigny. 



V.fulvus, Lin. Head and neck furnished with a white down; 

 lower part of the neck surrounded by rows of long slender feathers 

 of a reddish white colour ; a spot on the middle of the breast, 

 covered with a white down ; body and wings fawn-coloured ; flag 

 and tail-feathers of a blackish brown ; beak livid yellow ; cere 

 flesh-coloured; iris hazel-coloured ; legs gray. About four feet 

 long. Inhabits the mountainous parts of the north of Europe, 

 Africa, and Asia. Shaw, vii. pi. 11. 



V. leucocephalus, Meyer; V. percnopterus, Baud.; V.* trencalos, Bechst. ; Lc 

 Griffon, BufF. The young, V. Kolbii, Lath. ; Le Vautour chasse-fiente, Vaill. 



V. monachus, Tern. Plumage dull brown ; quill-feathers black ; 



