152 VULTURIDJS. 



die of thirst and want of pasture. A bull-fight is a sort of 

 harvest to Vultures, which flock in great numbers to revel on the 

 carcases of the unfortunate horses that have been so cruelly 

 killed. 



The Griffon Vulture may be distinguished on the wing by its 

 light colour when within reasonable distance. 



Nostrils perpendicular, slightly oval. General colour ashy fulvous ; 

 head and neck covered with whitish down ; ruff of white down. Primaries 

 and tail blackish ; iris light yellow. 



Young. Much darker ; ruff of tawny lanceolate feathers ; iris hazel. 

 Length 40 inches. 



177. Neophron percnopterus (Linnaeus). Egyptian Vulture. 



Moorish. Rekhama. Spanish. Monigero (near Gibraltar), 

 Relijero, Alimocha, Pernetero, Abanto, and, away from the 

 Sierras, Quebrantahuesos. 



" Appears near Tangier in flocks during migration, some 

 remaining to nest in the vicinity, awaiting the return of the 

 autumnal migration, to winter probably in the interior of Africa. 

 Those which pass over to Europe cross from February to April, 

 returning in August and September. They nest on rocks in 

 April, generally laying two eggs, sometimes only one. These 

 have a rough surface, and vary in shape. Sometimes there is an 

 interval of two or three days in the hatching of eggs in the same 

 nest. Fifty-four eggs have passed through my hands." Favier. 



Near Gibraltar, Neophrons, during their stay, are abundantly 

 distributed. Two pair nest regularly on " the Rock," going by 

 the name of " Rock-Eagle " among those who would call a 

 Buzzard a Bustard, and vice versa. One nest is below O'Hara's 

 Tower, the other below the Rock gun on the North Front. 



Many pass northwards at the end of February, the 23rd of that 

 month in 1870, and the same day in 1892, at Tapatanilla, being 

 the earliest dates on which they were observed by me ; and the 

 greater number, many hundreds, almost always in pairs, pass 

 during March. On the 21st and 24th of that month, in 1872, 



