1837.] Nest of the Bengal Vulture. 115 



The plumage of the male is dark brown above, deepest on the 

 wings and tail ; under parts of a lighter shade of brown, the shaft and 

 middle of each feather being dashed with a dirty white, or buff co- 

 lored streak ; — head and neck of a dirty livid color, and destitute 

 of feathers, but scattered over with short hairs ; at the bottom of the 

 neck a ruff of long, narrow and pointed feathers ; the crop covered 

 over with short brown feathers, and slightly overhanging the breast. 

 Bill strong and black at the end, but paler at the base ; nostrils 

 lateral ; irides dark hazel ; legs thick and blackish ; claws black and 

 strong and not much hooked. 



Length 2 feet 1\ inches ; breadth 7 feet h\ inches. 



The female in length was 3 feet 1 inch, and in breadth 7 feet 1\ 

 inches ; — the plumage above is much lighter, being of a buff or pale 

 fawn-colored brown ; under parts of a dirty white ; irides dark hazel ; 

 bill strong and dark at the end, but of a greenish livid color at the 

 base ; — the claws are longer and more hooked than in the male. 



The native name is Giddh. 



This is the Bengal Vulture (Vultur Bengalensis) of authors ; — it 

 is gregarious to the full extent of the word, not only flying and feed- 

 ing in flocks, but also building its nests in company. 



The male bird above described, rather exceeds the size given by 

 Latham and Colonel Sykes. 



In Loudon's Magazine of Natural History is a long dispute 

 between Mr. Waterton, the author of " Wanderings in South Ame- 

 rica," and Audubon, the American Ornithologist, respecting the re- 

 markable powers of smell so long ascribed to the Vulture tribe. 

 The latter gentleman, backed by several friends, maintains that sight 

 alone conducts the Vulture to his prey, and he relates a number of 

 experiments which he tried in America relative to this subject. Mr. 

 Waterton, on the other hand, ridicules these experiments, and brings 

 forward much to invalidate them, and in favor of the old notion. It 

 had perhaps, however, been better if these gentlemen had borne in 

 mind the saying " medio tutissimus ibis," and allowed due weight to 

 both these senses combined. 



The view which either party takes of the subject, will be gathered 

 best from Mr. Waterton's own words, which 1 transcribe from the 

 39th No. of the Magazine : — 



" The American philosophers have signed a solemn certificate that 



they feel assured tiiat the two species of vultures which inhabit the 



United States, are guided to their food altogether through their sense 



of sight and not that of smell : — I, (Waterton) on the contrary, say 



Q 2 



