THE GRIFFON VULTURE’ 
Gyps fulvus 
Arabic, Rakham. 
Head and neck bare of fine feathers, but covered with 
short white down. Lower part of the neck surrounded by a 
ruff of long, thin, lance-shaped feathers, generally but not 
always white; sometimes it is buffish, sometimes rich rufous ; 
wings at shoulders are light greyish brown, getting darker to 
nearly black on the large flight feathers. Breast and flanks 
grey, brown under tail-coverts a brighter burnt-sienna tone. 
Legs dull grey; base of beak yellow. Young birds are gen- 
erally duller and lighter coloured than adults. 
Length, 48 inches, but individuals vary greatly. 
Tus is the Vulture so constantly depicted on the 
monuments of Egypt, and I do not think that 
any one has ever raised the slightest doubt of its 
identity ; but the same can hardly be said of all the 
birds thereon figured. 
1 EAGLES, VULTURES, HAWKS 
Many different arrangements have been made of the order in which 
birds should be placed, some placing one, others, another family first, and 
the wise men are even yet not all agreed, so that the old-time method has 
been adopted of beginning with the birds of prey, since it is probably the 
order with which the ordinary reader is most familiar. 
Eagles are not common, and though in the complete list of Egyptian 
birds the names of four are given, it is hardly likely to be a bird seen, 
whilst Vultures and Kites, and certain Hawks, most certainly will be. 
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