26 



THE ALPINE, OR EGYPTIAN VULTURE. 



aspect of the bird is sufficiently curious. The sexes are clothed alike when adult. On 

 account of the color of its plumage, the Egyptian Vulture i.s popularly termed the White 

 Crow by the Dutch colonists, and Akbobas, or White Father, by the Turks. It is also 

 familiarly known by the name of Pharaoh's Chicken, because it is so frequently repre- 

 sented in the hieroglyphical inscriptions of Egypt. When young, the color of its plumage is 

 a chocolate brown, the neck and shoulders are covered with gray-tipped feathers, and the 

 beak and feet are a very dull ochry yellow. The white plumage of the adult state is not 

 attained until the bird has completed its third year. 



As is the case with the Vultures in general, the Egyptian Vulture is protected from injury 



by the strictest laws, a heavy 

 penalty being laid upon any one 

 who should wilfully destroy one 

 of these useful birds. Secure 

 under its human protection, the 

 bird walks fearlessly about the 

 streets of its native land, perches 

 upon the houses, and, in com- 

 mon with the pariah dogs, soon 

 clears away any refuse sub- 

 stances that are thrown into the 

 open streets in those evil-smell- 

 ing and undrained localities. 

 This bird will eat almost any- 

 thing which is not too hard for 

 its beak, and renders great ser- 

 vice to the husbandman by de- 

 vouring myriads of lizards, rats, 

 and mice, which would render 

 all cultivation useless were not 

 their numbers kept within limits 

 by the exertion of this useful 

 Vulture. It has been also seen 

 to feed on the nara, a rough, 

 water-bearing melon, in com- 

 mon with cats, leopards, mice, 

 ostriches, and many other crea- 

 tures. The egos of the ostrich 

 are said to be a favorite food 

 with the Egyptian Vulture, who 

 is unable to break their strong 

 shells with his beak, but attains 

 his object by carrying a greai pebble into the air, and letting it drop upon the eggs. 



The wings of this species are extremely long in proportion to the size of the bird, and the 

 lofty soaring flight is peculiarly graceful. It is but a small bird in comparison with many of 

 those which have already been mentioned, being not much larger than the common rook of 

 Europe. The nest of the Egyptian Vulture is made upon the shelf or in the cleft of a lofty 

 rock, and the gray-white eggs are three or four in number. It is a curious fact, that during 

 the season of reproduction the male bird slightly changes his aspect, the yellow bill becoming 

 orange, and retaining that tint until the breeding season is over. Like many rapacious ani- 

 mals and birds, the Egyptian Vulture does not disdain to feed on insects, and has been 

 observed in the act of following a ploughman along his furrows, picking up the worms and 

 grubs after the fashion of the common rook, 



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 EGYPTIAN VULTURE. —Neophron perenopterus. 



