SOS JOURNAL, BOMB A Y NA TVRAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. X. 



from the crown of the head ; a baldness which, as we all know, 

 extends in some species to the whole neck. The family, as here 

 restricted, belongs to i'ae Old V^orld. The American forms are 

 now classed apart, and the vultures seem to be absent from the 

 Australasian region generally — -an odd thing in the case of such very 

 powerful flyers. Mr. Blanford notes that they " are confined to the 

 tropical and warm temperate regions" of the old Continents, which, 

 again, is odd, for some species breed at great heightSj and soar higher 

 than balloons, so that mere cold must be matter of indifference to them. 

 Their powers of sight are telescopic, and most of us have noticed 

 how they gather, as if by magic, to carrion, aided, no doubt, by 

 observation of each other, and of crows and kites, moving at lower 

 levels. The first bird at a "kill" in Western India is usually the 

 crow, the second the Pariah kite, and the third Neophron ginginianus, 

 a small Peninsular race of the better-known Neophron percnopterusy 

 '' Pharaoh's chicken." This is itself found in our province, as far 

 south as Kutch. It is to be known by its greater size and dusky bill 

 and claws. These dirty white and black birds are sometimes (wrongly) 

 called " Brahminy kites"— a name belonging to another bird al- 

 together. They, were much favoured by the old Egyptians, though 

 not actually sacred, and were forbidden to the Hebrews as diet, under 

 the name of " Beham,'' which-our Version translates " gier eagle." 



Before these birds have got far with their meal, tMre comes from 

 the upper air perhaps a typical vulture ( F. monachus), but more 

 commonly a griftbn {Gyps fvlvus), or his relative, the long- billed vul- 

 ture ( G. indicus). ' The first two are Paln3arctic birds, and do not 

 breed with us. The last is a resident Peninsular species, and so is the 

 white-backed vulture {Pseudogyps hengalensis), which is apt to join 

 at the meal. These four large vultures are pretty well matched, and 

 can seldom drive one another away. But the Neophrons and kites 

 must stand off from them. Their revenge comes with the last vulture 

 (commonly) at dinner ; a fine blackish bird with a red head and legs ; 

 Otogyps calvus. As he drives oft' all the other vultures, he is some- 

 times called their '' King." But the use of this word is to be dis- 

 couraged, as leading to confusion with an American " King-vulture" 

 {jSarcorainphus papa) ; who exercises simikr authority, and is better 

 dressed to boot, with skin and feathers of many colours. Our bird's 



