20 



CLASS AVES. 



The Percnoiptenu of Egypt, (Vult. Pcrcnopterus, Linn.) 

 Vult. leucocephalus et Vult. fuscus, Gmel.) Enl. 427 and 

 249. Vult.de Gingi, Som\. etDdiyxd. Origourap,NdM- My. 

 Rachamah, Bruce. Pharaolis Bird in Egypt, and Gingi 

 Vulture^ Lath. Hist. t. 5. 



As big as a crow, the adult male white, with the 

 quill-feathers black; the young and females brown. 

 These birds are spread throughout the old continent, 

 and are particularly common in hot countries, which 

 they purify of dead carcases. They follow the cara- 

 vans in large flocks, to devour everything that may 

 die. The ancient Egyptians respected them for the 

 services done to their country, and even now they 

 are never injured in that country. There are, indeed, 

 some devout Mussulmans who bequeath property for 

 the support of a certain number of these birds. 



Monk Percnopterus, {Cathartes Monachus, Temm. 

 pi. col. t. 222.) 

 Blackish-brown, quills black. Africa, spec, in Brit. 

 Mus. from Exeter- Change. 



The American species has been set apart under the 

 names of Cathartes, by Illiger, and Catharista, by 

 Vieillot. They have the head entirely naked* 



The Carrion Vulture. (Vult. aura, Lin.) Enl. 187. 



As big as the last, (the Percnopterus of Egypt,) with 

 the beak a little shorter, and the body entirely black- 

 ish ; common in all the hot and temperate parts of 

 America, where it renders the same service as its 

 congener in the old world. 



