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he found it along the coasts of the Eed Sea to 16° N. lat., in Egypt and Nubia, in Abyssinia to 

 an altitude of 12,000 feet, and sparingly in Kordofan and the Lower, Blue, and White Nile. 

 How far south the present species is to be met with in Africa I cannot say ; but there is a speci- 

 men in the British Museum procured by Major Denham in Central Africa. In South Africa 

 the Griffon Vulture is replaced by Gyps kolU (Daud.), which, according to Mr. Sharpe (Cat. 

 Accipitr. p. 9), inhabits " South Africa, to the Zambesi on the east, and to Damara Land on the 

 west coast, but more sparingly in the latter country." In North-east Africa, however, Gyps 

 fulviis is very numerous. Loche states that it is very common in the three provinces of Algeria, 

 and differs in no respect from its European congener. It breeds there about the month of 

 March, nesting in the most inaccessible parts of the rocks, and deposits two eggs. Mr. Salvin 

 remarks (Ibis, 1859, p. 178) that he never met with it in the Regency of Tetuan, and that "none 

 were seen ; nor was it till we reached Souk Harras that they first showed themselves, though I 

 have since suspected that the greater part of a large number of birds of prey, observed soaring 

 at a considerable distance near Sidi Yousef, on the Tunisian frontier, were of this species. At 

 Djebel Dekma were several pairs, as also at Khifan M'sakta ; but Kef Laks and its neighbour- 

 hood seem to be their head quarters." On the other hand, Mr. C. F. Tyrwhitt-Drake says (Ibis, 

 1867, p. 423) that he found this Vulture " common at Tetuan;" he saw several towards the end 

 of March, and believes that some remain there all the winter. In Tangier, according to Favier, 

 it is numerous both as a resident and on passage. 



How far east the present species ranges I cannot precisely define ; but Severtzoff met with 

 it in Turkestan ; and Mr. Blanford says it is the common Vulture of Persia. In India it is 

 replaced by a nearly allied form, Gyps fulvescens, Hume (Ibis, 1869, p. 356). 



In habits the Griffon assimilates tolerably closely to the Cinereous Vulture ; and, like that 

 bird, it is essentially a carrion-eater, and acts as a scavenger in hot climates, where it is most 

 useful in disposing of any carcass that may be poisoning the air around it. When on the wing 

 it is generally seen circling round at great altitudes, looking like a speck in the sky ; but directly 

 one spies a carcass it descends to it, and in a very short time is joined by others of its species ; 

 for, as it says in Holy Writ, where the carcass is, there are the Eagles (or rather Vultures, for 

 the Eagle of Scripture is undoubtedly the Griffon Vulture) gathered together. Much has been 

 written respecting the mode in which the Vulture discovers its food ; and some naturalists hold 

 that it does this chiefly by its keen sense of smell — but, I believe, erroneously ; for it appears 

 to rely almost entirely on its keen sight. Canon Tristram, referring to this question, writes 

 (Ibis, 1859, p. 280) : — " That the Vulture uses the organ of sight rather than that of smell, seems 

 to be certain from the immense height at which he soars and gyrates in the air. ' In this instance 

 one solitary bird descended, and half an hour afterwards was joined by a second. A short time 

 elapsed, and the Nubian Vulture (Otogyps nubicus) appeared, self-invited, at the feast ; and before 

 the bones were left to the Hyaena, no less than nine Griffons and two Nubians had broken their 

 fast. I should hesitate to assert that they had satisfied their appetites. I have observed the 

 same regular succession of diners-out on other occasions. May we not conjecture that the 

 process is as follows ? — The Griffon who first descries his quarry descends from his elevation at 

 once. Another, sweeping the horizon at a still greater distance, observes his neighbour's move- 

 ments and follows his course. A third, still further removed, follows the flight of the second ; 



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