254 DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. 



differs from all other members of the family in its circular nostrils. This bird 

 derives its name from the plumage being generally entirely black, with chocolate 

 reflections. The head is covered with thick velvety down, developed to form a 

 conspicuous patch at the occiput, and on the cheeks more silky and produced into 

 tufts. The naked portions of the head and neck are of a livid flesh-colour, while 

 the iris is dark brown, the bill black, and the foot yellowish. In total length the 

 bird is about 42 inches. This vulture inhabits the countries bordering both sides 

 of the Mediterranean, whence it extends eastwards to India and China. Unlike the 

 griffon vulture, to be next mentioned, this species is partial to wooded districts ; 

 although, as in our plate, both may frequently meet over the same carcase. 

 It nests generally in trees, although failing these on rocks, and builds a bulky 

 nest of boughs lined with twigs, in which a single large white egg, more or less 

 richly marked with red, is laid. Like its kin, the black vulture is a bird of 

 heavy and ungraceful form and a generally repulsive appearance; its habits, 

 when not engaged in feeding, being sluggish and inert, its attitude slouching, 

 and its disposition cowardly. It also resembles its allies in feeding entirely 

 upon dead animals and other refuse ; and it is these carrion-eating habits which 

 render vultures so invaluable in tropical countries, where the care bestowed 

 upon sanitary matters appears to vary inversely with the rise of the tempera- 

 ture. Repulsive and hideous-looking as are a group of vultures assembled 

 round the carcase of a large animal, and gorging themselves to satiety upon its 

 contents, their appearance is very different as they are seen wheeling in circles at a 

 great height in the blue sky of a tropical noon ; and no spectacle is more interesting 

 than to watch the vultures flocking up from all parts when some of their number 

 have detected a prey, and dropped to earth to feast upon it. Much discussion has 

 taken place with regard to the manner in which vultures discover their prey, 

 although it is now ascertained that this is mainly due to their marvellously keen 

 power of sight. On this subject Jerdon writes that he has "known a small piece 

 of fresh meat a fore-quarter of a miserable sheep exposed in the open bare plain 

 where the eye barely discovered a few floating specks in the air high above, and 

 in less than half an hour there would be a number of vultures feeding on it. It is 

 out of the question that smell can have anything to do with this, and we know 

 from experiments that vultures will discover and descend on a stuffed carcase of 

 an animal, whilst they will neglect one well hidden, although putrid and offensive. 

 I do not mean to assert that their sense of sight is illimitable, and, in the cases 

 in which I have myself experimented, I do not mean to imply that the very distant 

 birds, that looked like specks, were those to discover the piece of fresh meat ; but 

 ever and anon a bird at a much lower elevation, but still very high above the earth, 

 would sail past, keenly urged by hunger to a closer investigation, and on his espying 

 the morsel, and moving towards it, others at a greater distance, urged by his motions, 

 would descend lower, and on being certified themselves, perhaps on the ground 

 near, would drop down in a series of oblique plunges till they reached the ground 

 also. That vultures, however, have also a strong sense of smell is undeniable ; 

 many experiments are recorded to show this ; and I have myself frequently seen 

 them flying closely, and apparently in an excited and unusual manner, over a copse 

 or thicket in which a putrefying carcase was placed." It is, however, only when 



