BLACK VULTURE. 31 



in many others of the Vulture tribe, and I may 

 here add, that this circumstance, which seems 

 merely to depend on the birds being either full-fed 

 or in a fasting state, has apparently misled some 

 writers to represent it as forming a part of the 

 descriptive character of the animal in several 

 species. The present bird is a native of Bengal. 



Far J 



BLACK VULTURE 



Vultur Niger. V. niger, remigibus rectricibusque fuscis, pedum 

 pennis nigris. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel. Briss. av. p. 131. 

 Will. orn. p. 66. 



This bird is described as larger than the Golden 

 Vulture, and of a black colour, with brown wing- 

 feathers and tail : the head covered with down, and 

 the neck nearly bare: the orbits of the eyes, and 

 the legs, which are feathered to the toes, white. 

 It is said to be common in Egypt. 



