VULTURE. 15 



Le Vautour brun, Brif. ortt. i. p. 455. N° z. 9. 



Le Vautour de Make, Buf. oif. i. p. 161. MALTESE 



< PL enl. 427. 



^pHIS bird is in bulk between a Pheafant and Peacock; is two Description. 



feet and an half in length, and the wing, when clofed, 

 reaches to two thirds the length of the tail.- — The bill is black: 

 head covered with brown down: neck covered with narrow 

 feathers. The whole bird is of a general brown colour, but the 

 quills are darker! ; the primaries are white at the tips, and fpotted 1 

 with brown: tail grey brown: legs naked, yellowifh: claws dulky. 

 This bird inhabits many parts of Europe, chiefly the ifland of 

 Malta *.- 



* In the ifle of Candia alfo, as well as in all the iflands of the Mediterranean 

 Archipelago, Vultures are very common ; the fkins of which are nearly as thick 

 as a calf's hide. The natives of thefe places, as well as in Egypt and Arabia, 

 make great ufe of fuch Ikins, properly prepared, by way of furrs. The fur- 

 riers of thofe parts have a way of extracting the feathers without difturbing the 

 down; which, after going through proper operations, become valuable, and 

 fell very dear. 



The ufe that is made of thefe is to wear them on the breait and ftomach, asi 

 they are fuppofed to promote digeftion. 



The Vultures of the ifle of Cyprus are of the fize of a Swan, feathered on the 

 back and wings like an Eagle, and the neck covered with down as foft as the 

 finefl furr. 



Thefe birds live only on carrion, and when they meet with a proper oppor- 

 tunity, are faid to fill themfelves fo full, as hot to want food again for fifteen 

 days. Having thus done, they become unable to raife themfelves from the 

 ground for flight; at which time they are eafily killed, fometimes being hunted 

 down with dogs, at other times difpatched with clubs, or other weapons, by the ■ 

 inhabitants. Defer, de I' ArcbipeL Dapper, p. 50- 



Lot- 



