VULTURES AND RAVENS 5 



others. As soon as " His Majesty " retired satisfied, the other 

 birds rushed at the carcass, and the usual fighting, flapping 

 of wings, screaming and tearing, went on again. We have 

 repeatedly seen how the Common Vulture stands in awe of 

 the Black, but the above-cited case was the most pronounced 

 and remarkable one of all. 



There is a popular behef prevalent amongst the country- 

 folk that Vultures will not eat an animal killed by lightning, 

 but this is a fallacy. It may have occurred, but we know of 

 innumerable instances where sheep, goats and cattle so killed 

 have been devoured, and Mr. L. E. Taylor records a case 

 where a small flock of sheep killed by lightning were subse- 

 quently eaten by both Common and Black Vultures. 



The Black Vulture nests in trees, building a large structure, 

 about 4 feet in diameter, of sticks, and laying a single egg 

 of a dirty white colour, sometimes blotched with reddish- 

 brown. 



The African White-backed Vulture {Pseudogyps africanus) 

 is a little-known bird, differing mainly from the other species 

 in the possession of a pure white lower back and rump. 



It is brown above and pale brown below. It is essentially 

 a Tropical African species, but was found breeding in some 

 number in June, near Potchefstroom, Transvaal, by Major 

 Sparrow, of the 7th Dragoon Guards. Some doubt was 

 expressed by Mr. W. L. Sclater, in his Check-list, as to the 

 identification of the species, one specimen, forwarded to the 

 South African Museum by A. Roberts, possessing fourteen 

 tail feathers, whereas the genus Pseudogyps is characterised 

 by the possession of twelve only. There is, however, a 

 specimen from Potchefstroom now in the Transvaal Museum 

 (received June 6, 1907), which is an undoubted example of 

 the White-backed Vulture, with twelve tail feathers. 



The last of the Vulture tribe which concerns us is the 



