GYPS. 321 



Habits, <$fc. The Griffon generally breeds on rocky cliffs in 

 colonies, and lays a single white egg, about February, in a loosely 

 constructed nest of sticks. Occasionally, but very rarely, the egg 

 is slightly spotted ; the average measurement is 3'65 by 2'7. 

 Solitary nests on trees have been observed in North-western 

 India ; but in Sind I have no doubt these Vultures breed on the 

 cliffs of the Khirthar and other ranges, for I saw a pair in copuld 

 on January 3rd on the crags, roaring in the most extraordinary 

 way at the time, after the manner of Vultures. 



1193. Gyps himalayensis. The Himalayan Griffon. 



Gyps fulvus, apud Blyth, Cat. p. 32, partim ; id. J. A. S. B. xxiv, 

 p. 253, note ; Horsf. $ M. Cat. i, p. 3 ; Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 8, pt. ; 

 nee Vultur fulvus, Gmel. 



Gyps himalayensis, Hume, Rough Notes, p. 12 (1869) ; id. N. $ E. 



S3; Jerdon, Ibis, 1871, p. 235; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. i, p 8 ; 

 rooks, S. F. iii, p. 228 ; Hume, S. F. vii, p. 323 ; id. Cat. no. 

 3ter; Scully, S. F. viii, p. 218; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 38 

 Scully, ibid. p. 416 ; C. H. T. Marshall, Ibis, 1884, p. 405 ; Oates in 

 Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 200. 

 Gyps nivicola, Servertzov, Turkest. Jevotn.^. Ill, pi. vii (1873). 



Coloration. Adult. Hair-like feathers on the head and down on 

 neck white or yellowish white ; feathers of ruff loose-textured, 

 whitish along the shafts, pale brown on the sides ; back and wing- 

 coverts whity brown, rather unevenly coloured, with traces of pale 

 shaft-stripes ; lower back whitish or white ; rump and upper tail- 

 coverts buff ; scapulars and greater wing-coverts dark brown with 

 pale tips ; quills and tail-feathers blackish brown, the inner quills 

 with pale ends ; crop brown, streaked paler ; rest of lower parts 

 light brown or buff with broad whitish shaft-stripes ; under tail- 

 coverts pale buff. 



Young birds are dark brown above and below, with strongly 

 marked whitish shaft-stripes on all body-feathers and wing-coverts, 

 the shaft-stripes being very broad on the ruff and the lower parts; 

 wing- and tail-feathers nearly black. 



Bill pale horny green ; cere pale brown ; irides brownish yellow ; 

 legs and feet dingy greenish grey or white (Hume). The 4th 

 primary is the longest. 



Length about 48 ; tail 16 ; wing 30 ; tarsus 4-6 ; mid-toe 

 without claw 4*3 ; bill from gape 3'3. 



Distribution. Throughout the Himalayas from Cabul to Bhutan,, 

 but only observed on the mountains. This species is also found 

 farther north in Turkestan and Northern Tibet, and probably in 

 other ranges of Central Asia. 



Habits, 6fc. This is distinctly a mountain Vulture, and breeds 

 from the end of December to the first week in March. It makes 

 the usual platform of sticks, or sometimes occupies an old Eagle's 

 nest, on the face of a cliff, and lays a single egg, sometimes greyish 

 white, more often blotched and streaked with red-brown, and 

 measuring about 3'76 by 2-75. 



YOL. III. T 



