226 AVES. F 
VuuTor, Lin. 
The Vultures have eyes even with the head, and reticulated tarsi, 
that is, covered with small scales ; an elongated beak, curved only at 
the end, and a greater or less portion of the head, or even of the 
neck, divested of feathers. The strength of their talons does not 
correspond with their size, and they make more use of their beak 
than of theirclaws. Their wings are so long, that in walking they 
keep them ina state of semi-extension. They are a cowardly genus, 
feeding oftener on carrion than on a living prey ; when they have 
fed, their crop forms a great protuberance above the fourchette, a 
fetid humour flows from their nostrils, and they are almost reduced 
to a state of stupid insensibility. 
Vu.tur, Cuv. 
The Vultures, properly so called, have a large and strong beak, 
the nostrils pierced transversely at its base; the head and neck 
without feathers or caruncles, and a collar of long feathers, or of 
down, at the root of the neck. They have hitherto been found only 
in the eastern continent. 
V. fulvus, Gmel.; V. trencalos, Bechstein; Ze Percnoptere, 
Buff. Enl. 326, and Le Grand Vautour, Id. Hist. des Ois. I, in 
Ato, pl. V3(1) Zhe Vulture, Albinus, III, i; Neuman, pl. 2. 
(The Fulvous Vulture.) Grey, or of a brown verging upon 
fulvous; the down on the head and neck, cinereous; collar 
white, sometimes mixed with brown; quills of the wing and 
tail, brown ; beak and feet lead coloured; belly of the adult 
white. It is the most universally diffused species, and is 
found on the mountains of the whole of the eastern continent. 
Its body surpasses in size that of the swan.(2) 
V. cinereus, Gmel. Col. 425; Nauman, pl. v; Viellot, Gall. pl. 
i; Arrian of La Peyrouse; Black Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, &c. 
(The Brown Vulture.) A blackish brown ; the collar mounting 
obliquely towards the occiput, which is furnished with a tuft of 
feathers ; the feet and the membrane of the base of the beak of 
(1) The history of the Grand Vautour of Buffon belongs to the following species, 
but the figure is that of the fulvus. 
(2) The Vautour des Indes, Lath. and Sonnerat, Tem. PI]. Col. 26, is at least a 
closely allied species, as well as the Chassefiente, Vaill. Affr. pl. 10. Add V. egypius 
Tem. Col. 407.—V. imperialis, Ib. 426. 
N.B. The Fawn-coloured Vulture is the genus Grrs fe Savigny. The Brown 
Vulture is the type of his genus Merrivs. 
