THE BEARDED VULTURE. 179 



genus. Whatever may be the subject which he under- 

 takes to illustrate, his labours are at all times distin- 

 guished by the extent of his researches, the accuracy 

 of his observations, and the originality of his views. 

 In the present instance, besides establishing beyond all 

 question the classical synonymy of the species, and 

 carefully elucidating its modern history, he has given a 

 detailed account of its characters far superior to any 

 that had previously been published ; so that the genus 

 may be said in some sort to have undergone a new 

 creation at his hands. He gives the following as its 

 distinctive marks. 



The beak is extremely hard, elongated, compressed, 

 very convex and strongly rounded on its upper edge, 

 and furnished with a thin cere, clothed with numerous 

 hairs, which are thick, rigid, closely pressed to the 

 surface, and directed forwards ; the nostrils are oval, 

 oblique, and entirely concealed beneath the hairs ; the 

 sides of the lower mandible at its base are covered with 

 similar hairs, and its angle is furnished with a pencil 

 of small feathers, or slenderer bristles, either simple or 

 branched, which hang down on either side in the form 

 of a beard ; the tongue is destitute of sharp prickles ; 

 the mouth broad and opening as far backwards as 

 beneath the eyes ; the legs short, very thick, and fea- 

 thered down to the toes ; and the talons moderately 

 sharp, those of the inner and posterior toes being by 

 far the largest and the most strongly curved. To these 

 characters we may add that the head is flattened above 

 and, as well as the neck, entirely clothed with feathers ; 

 the crop has but little prominence, and its place is 

 marked by a patch of down ; the eyes are slightly sunk 

 below the level of the cheeks ; the ears entirely con- 

 cealed beneath the plumage ; the outer toes partially 

 versatile ; the first quill-feather of the wings nearly 



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