396 



6 



obtained one in Natal, where it is of very rare occurrence ; and Mr. T. E. Buckley saw a few in 

 the Matabili country. 



It is somewhat difficult to define the eastern limit of its range in Asia, as it has been much 

 confused with its near ally, Neophron ginginianus ; but it probably ranges into Western India. 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney records it from Beyrout, Dr. Severtzoff from Turkestan; and, according to 

 Mr. Blanford (E. Persia, ii. p. 101), it is "found throughout Persia, increasing in abundance to 

 the south. In Northern Persia generally it is not very common, and it is somewhat locally 

 distributed ; thus De Filippi speaks of it as common in the Caucasus and Ghilan, rare south of 

 the Elburz Mountains. Menetries noticed it at Baku on the Caspian, but not further to the 

 north." The Indian bird (Neophron ginginianus, Lath.) differs in being smaller in size, in having 

 the apical portion of the bill pure yellowish flesh-colour instead of blackish, and the points of 

 the closed wing only just reaching to the tip of the tail; according to Mr. Hume, it has also a 

 conspicuous fold of skin continued from beneath the ear to the throat underneath, which is little 

 more than indicated in Neophron percnopterus ; and the throat is quite bare, instead of being 

 thinly clad with short white feathers as in the latter species. 



Although by no means an interesting or pleasing bird in its general habits, for it is, to say 

 the best of it, but a filthy carrion-eating species, yet in the southern climes, where it is most 

 numerous, this Vulture is extremely useful as a scavenger ; for it most effectually clears away any 

 garbage that it can possibly devour. In its general appearance it is a heavy, rather solemn- 

 looking bird, and may usually be seen either seated quietly digesting its last meal, or else care- 

 fully quartering the ground in search of any thing that may turn up. In the vicinity of a 

 slaughter-house, or wherever any offal is regularly cast out, these birds will hang about waiting 

 for a meal; and should a beast fall down and be left to die, the Vultures are sure to appear even 

 before the breath is out of its body, and soon leave nothing but the bare bones. I have never 

 seen it in flocks, except when collected on a carcass, but usually singly or in pairs ; and it is said 

 to breed in scattered pairs and not in communities, although the nests are frequently not far 

 apart. Its nest is placed in a cliff or an old building, less seldom in a tree, and is rather a heavy 

 structure of sticks and rubbish lined with grass and cotton rags, or any soft materials it can most 

 readily meet with ; and occasionally, when it has been able to collect together a fair assortment of 

 rags, its nest presents quite a gaudy appearance. The eggs, one or two in number, are frequently 

 very richly coloured, being spotted or blotched, on a white or ochreous ground, with deep red or 

 fox-red. One in my collection is white with only a few dull-red blotches at one end ; and several 

 others are so closely marked with deep rusty reel, on a rusty ochreous ground, as to leave very 

 little of the latter exposed to view. In size those I possess vary from 2f § by Iff to 2|-g- by 

 2-^q inches. The shell is somewhat chalky, and usually quite devoid of gloss. In a letter from 

 Dr. E. Eey this gentleman remarks : — " I have eggs, or have had them through my hands, from 

 Portugal, Spain, Southern France, South Italy, Greece, Turkey, Asia Minor, Egypt, and Nubia ; 

 and on one collected by Dr. Kriiper in Greece the date 24th May is written. Thirty-one eggs 

 that I have measured average in size 66T by 5O0 millims., the largest measuring 74'5 by 52 - 5 

 and 705 by 54 - 0, and the smallest 59*0 by 49 - and 64 - by 43-0 millims. respectively ; one, 

 probably an abnormal specimen, measures 5O0 by 48"0 millims." 



As above stated, the Egyptian Vulture feeds on carrion and offal ; and it is said to have a 



