THE SOCIABLE VULTURE. 109 



are long, narrow, and pointed, and project from the 

 body in such a manner as to exhibit the thick down, 

 of an almost pure white, with which it is every where 

 closely covered. On the sides of the neck at its lower 

 and interior part this down extends beyond the feathers 

 and marks the boundary of the crop, which, as in all 

 the Vultures, is remarkably prominent. The legs again 

 are principally covered with a similar down, which on 

 them assumes a bi'ownish tinge. The beak is horn- 

 coloured, with a shade of yellow at its base ; the legs 

 and feet brownish ; the claws light brown ; and the 

 iris chestnut. Le Vaillant informs us that the young- 

 bird when first hatched is covered only with a whitish 

 down ; at the period when it quits the nest its plumage 

 is of a light brown, and all the feathers are bordered 

 by a reddish tinge. Those of the chest and abdomen 

 are not elongated as in the adult state ; and the head 

 and neck are entirely covered by a fine close down, 

 through which the ears are scarcely visible. 



As Le Vaillant is the only writer who has observed 

 these birds in their native state, our account of their 

 manners must necessarily be derived from his excellent 

 work, which contains more detailed and authentic infor- 

 mation relative to the habits of birds than any other 

 publication with which we are acquainted, excepting 

 only Wilson's admirable American Ornithology. We 

 shall therefore make no apology for abstracting his 

 history of the present species, with which he has com- 

 bined many particulars equally applicable to the whole 

 family. Like all the other Vultures, he says, this is a 

 bird of the mountains, the sheltered retreats formed by 

 their caves and fissures constituting its proper habita- 

 tion. In them it passes the night, and reposes, after it 

 has sated its appetite, during the day. At sun-rise 

 large bands are seen perched on the rocks at the enti-y 

 of their abodes, and sometimes a continued chain of 



