MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 589 



In the present number I shall be only able to deal with the first two fami- 

 lies and perhaps a few genera of the Falconidce, bnt I hope to continue the 

 subject in the next number of our Journal. 



Pandionidcp — The Osprey, is the only one of our diurnal birds of prey, that 

 has its outer toe reversible and by this means alone can be easily 

 identified. The genus I'olioaetus also a Fish Eagle, has its outer 

 toe partially reversible but not so pronounced as the Osprey, 

 which can turn it right back almost to a level with the hind toe. 

 Like a parrot and like the owls, the Osprey has no after-shaft 

 to its fei>thers. Living on fish as it does, it is always to be 

 found (during the winter months) flying over rivers and large jheels 

 or tanks. 

 Vulturidce—The Vultures, as a family, are too well-known to nepd any de- 

 scription, but as the family comprises 5 genera and 9 species a few 

 words are necessary to identify them. 



Key to the Genera. 

 a. Bill stout ; height of upper mandible approximately 

 the saine as length of cere on culmen. (The cere 

 is the naked skin in which the nostrils are placed 

 and common to all birds of prey ; usually of a 

 different colour to the bill.) 

 a' >'ostriis round or oval ; tail of 12 feathers. 



a" K"o neck wattle {I) Vuliur. 



b" A flesby wattle on each side of the neck 

 of a deep yellowish red, a conspicuous 

 naked patch on each side of the crop and 

 a large naked oval area in front of each 



thigh of the same colour , (2) Ologyps. 



h' Nostril a vertical narrow slit. 



c" Tail of 14 feathers : differs from the two 

 preceding genera in havng a narrower 

 head and a longer bill which is about 3" 



from gape to tip • (3) Gyps, 



d" Tail of 12 feathers ; otherwise very like 

 Gyps, though a trifle smaller measuring 

 about 35" from tip of beak to tail, 

 whereas the smallest species of Gyps (G. 

 indicus) is about 38". It is also darker 

 than G. indicus and differs in having the 

 lower parts darh with narrow ichitish 



shaft stripes (4) Tseudogyps. 



h. Bill slender ; nostril elongate, horizontal (5) Neophron. 



Nos. 1, 2 anil 4 only have one species each, No. 3 has four and No. 5 has 

 two species. 



