NATURALIST IN INDIA. 25 



description in the interior. The large purse-shaped nest of 

 the weaver-bird (Ploceus baya) would fall an easy prey to its 

 enemies, did not the little architect, with surprising intelli- 

 gence, place it in situations not easily accessible ; hence 

 several may be seen suspended from the tips of branches 

 overhanging deep wells, or on the topmost boughs of acacia 

 and thorny trees. The weaver-bird builds in societies, and 

 ■ is docile and familiar in its habits. — The common king-crow 

 (l)icrurvs macrocercus) is often seen on the backs of cattle. 



The Egyptian vulture is a native of Eastern Europe, Asia, 

 and Africa. On the temperate regions of the Himalayas it 

 follows man wherever he congregates ; and on the plains of 

 India its gaunt forbidding figure is seen stalking among all 

 animal refuse. It is the smallest of the tribe found in the 

 East ; its total length seldom exceeding 26 inches. In the 

 adult the skin of the head and front of the neck is bare, 

 yellow and shrivelled, giving the animal a melancholy, 

 poverty-stricken appearance. The general colour' of the 

 phimage is white, except the quills and their coverts, which 

 are black ; the iris is red in the old bird, but brown in the 

 young, which also have the naked part about the head of a 

 leaden colour untD. the second year. There is great diversity 

 of plumage, from the brownish-black of the young bird to 

 the white of the adult ; this latter is attained at the third 

 moult. The habits of this species are strictly domestic. It is 

 usually met with in the filthiest parts of towns and military 

 cantonments. As soon as dinner is announced by the bugle- 

 sound in barracks, Egyptian vultures and kites may be seen 

 hastening towards the scene, which soon assumes a lively 

 aspect from the numbers and activity of the kites, as they 

 dart like arrows on the bones and refuse ; while others, with 

 head erect, lifting their legs (much after the manner of rooks), 



