BIRDS OF PREY, 



79 



many of its congeners, the Neophron does not usually smear itself over with filth whilst eating ; 

 it even appears to exercise a certain care in this particular, as it steps quietly about, feeding after 

 the manner of a Barn-door Fowl. When satiated it retires to a quiet tree or rock, and there 

 remains in a kind of indolent doze, while the work of digestion is going on, a process which often 

 occupies several hours. When about to fly it springs from the ground with considerable force, 

 and, after a few sharp strokes of its wings, floats slowly and gracefully through the air, without any 

 further movement of its wings. This species is very sociable, and flies about either in pairs or small 

 parties, which usually form a settlement during the breeding season, building their nests as near 

 to each other as possible, upon rocks, pagodas, tombs, or similar situations. The nest is made of 



THE MONK VULTURE (Neophron pikatus). 



twigs and a variety of materials, of which rags often form a part. The brood generally consists of 

 two long eggs of a yellowish white colour, spotted with yellowish or reddish brown ; we have seen 

 them also marbled all over with deep crimson lines. The young are covered with greyish down 

 when first hatched, and are fed with food regurgitated from the crop of the parent birds; many 

 months elapse before they are fully capable of providing for their own wants. If trained while 

 young, the Scavenger Vulture is as tractable as a Barn-door Fowl, and will learn to follow its master 

 about with the affection of a dog. According to old Gesner, the gall of this species was regarded 

 in his time as an infallible remedy for many most dissimilar complaints. 



THE MONK VULTURE. 

 The Monk Vulture {Neophron piUatus) resembles the bird last mentioned in several respects, 

 but differs from it in many particulars ; the beak being comparatively short and the wings broader ; 



