1835.] Bearded Vulture of the Himalaya. 455 



ing and description of a very fine specimen killed in the Kheri pass, 

 by my brother Lieut. W. Hodgson: those who have better opportuni- 

 ties than I have of describing the bird's average size and internal 

 structure, from comparison of numerous fresh subjects, seeming, year 

 after year, disposed to reject the task. 



My specimen is apparently that of a mature bird ; but its sex is 

 unknown to me. It measures, from the tip of the bill to the end of 

 the tail, three feet ten inches, and has a breadth between the tips of 

 the wings, not less than seven and half feet. The bill to the gape is 

 4 inches: the tarsi are 3|- inches :'and the central toe and talon 4| 

 inches. The dimensions are given, at length, at the close of this paper ; 

 meanwhile I proceed to notice the characters of the bird, and to 

 depict his general appearance and plumage, premising, that (according 

 to my information) his manners are decidedly more vulturine than 

 aquiline. Ordinarily, he is met with in groups, or pairs, or singly, 

 without marked distinction of habits in that respect. But the prospect 

 of an abundant repast is sure to collect numbers of the species, too 

 voraciously intent upon satisfying the cravings of an appetite depend- 

 ent for its gratification upon contingencies, to admit of their betraying 

 any of that shyness of man which the aquiline race invariably manifest. 

 If the flesh pots be exposed at Simla, or Massuri, or elsewhere in 

 the western hills, it becomes necessary to keep a good watch upon 

 them, lest the Bearded Vulture steal a share of their contents ; and 

 the offals and carrion- carcases, freely abandoned to him by our 

 European soldiery, and by the peasantry, he rushes to devour, almost 

 heedless of the neighbourhood of human-kind. Such too in their 

 manners are the Bearded Vultures or Gypaeti of Europe and of Africa, 

 which I apprehend are specifically the same with our Asiatic type, due 

 allowance being made for the occasional exaggeration and inaccuracy 

 of describers, as well as for the remarkable variety of aspect which the 

 species itself is apt to exhibit. Of the lammer geyer of the Alps, I 

 have access to no particular description : but the detailed accounts 

 of Bruce and of Edwards, relative to the African bird, cannot be 

 carefully corrected by each other, and then applied to the Himalayan 

 subject, without leaving a full conviction of the identity of the species. 

 For instance, Bruce's assertion of the partial nudity of the head, must 

 be amended by reference to Edward's statement, that it is covered 

 with small, close plumes; or, must be accounted for by Bruce's own 

 surmise, that the subject of his examination was under moult. Neither 

 of their descriptions require any other allowance, in order to suit our 

 bird ; for differences in colour are too notoriously caused by sex, age, 

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