SKETCHES OF 

 SOUTH AFRICAN BIRD-LIFE 



CHAPTEE I 



- SCAVENGEES OP THE VELD 



VULTURES AND RAVENS 



South Africa fortunately possesses quite a number of 

 species of the Vulture tribe, the commonest of which is 

 generally known as the Gyps kolhii of ornithologists and 

 the Aasvogel of the Boers. 



Birds with an unprepossessing appearance and an evil 

 smell, they are, nevertheless, exceedingly useful in clearing 

 the veld of carrion. During the rinderpest and other fearful 

 epidemics among live stock, the Vultures were of great 

 utiUty in clearing off the putrid remains of bovine herds. 

 Even these birds, plentiful as they were, could not cope with 

 the number of cattle that were dying, or had to be shot, 

 and were buried in hundreds. The Vultures' feast ; what 

 a sight ! Yet it has its interesting side. 



During the year 1890, both this Vulture and the White- 

 necked Eaven {Gorvultur albicollis) were common in the 

 neighbourhood of Grahamstown, and no sooner was a dead 

 horse or other animal dragged out to one of the kloofs than 

 Eavens and Vultures could be seen winging their way to the 

 spot from all quarters of the horizon. Judging by the way 



