Australian Birds in the Collection of the Linnean Society. 177 



travel out of the line of our duty, — while investigating a collec- 

 tion, which has already received, and Avhich it is expected will 

 continue to receive, so much benefit from Mr. MacLeay, — when 

 we express our sincere wishes for a successful accomplishment 

 of the objects of his mission, and a happy return to his country 

 and this Society. 



OrdoL RAPTORES. ///. 

 Fam. VuLTURiD.E. 



The first order which meets our attention, as the first division 

 ot the Typical Group in Ornithology, is the Raptorial Order, or 

 the Birds of Prey. Of these birds, again, the first subdivision 

 that comes before us, as being the first department of the Typical 

 Group of that order, is the family of Vulturidœ. Of this family 

 the Society's collection possesses no specimen ; nor have we as 

 yet seen any species of it from New Holland. Dr. Latham, how- 

 ever, describes two species as natives of that country : but we 

 have much doubt whether they will be found to appertain to the 

 Vultures. One of these, his Nexe Holland Vulture, seems to have 

 a weak, straight, and elongated bill, with long and slender tarsi ; 

 and, as far at least as can be judged from a figure, bears a greater 

 resemblance to a JVading Bird than to a Bird of Prey. The 

 second species, the Vultur audax of the "^ Index Ornithologicus," 

 which its distinouished author seems not to have described 

 from his own observation, but from hearsay, as he states its size 

 to be uncertain, does not appear to possess any characters in 

 common with the Vultures, except a partial absence of feathers 

 on the cheeks. From the account of its manners also, which are 

 described as bold and courageous, so much so as to induce it to 

 attack the natives themselves, — a circumstance, indeed, from 

 whence it has derived its specific name, — we can scarcely feel 



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