1850.] Conspectus of the Ornithology of India. 503 



de Franckfort-sur-Mein, par M. le Docteur Ruppell) ;"* and M. 

 Temminck gives their differences as follows, admitting both into the 

 European fauna. The Chasse-fiente (G. Kolbei), according to this 

 naturalist, may be distinguished at all ages from the true Vautour 

 Griffon (G.fulvus) by the shape of the feathers on the wings and 

 under-parts, all of which are rounded at tip, whereas in the Griffon 

 the same feathers are long and acuminated ; the ruff also is not so 

 long nor so abundant. General colour of the plumage of G. Kolbei 

 pale cafe-au-lait or isabelline, often (or according to age) varied or 

 margined with brown more or less deep. The adult is almost wholly 

 of a whitish isabelline ; whereas the plumage of the adult Griffon is 

 light brown throughout. The crop of the Chasse-fiente is of a deep 

 brown, the head and neck covered with close flat down. A fine adult 

 in the Society's museum from Algeria (received from M. Malherbe) 

 accords with this description of the Chasse-fiente; while a young 

 bird from Nepal (in much worn plumage) seems to correspond with 

 the Griffon. Dr. Schlegel classes the Chasse-fiente as a permanent 

 variety of G.fulvus, terming it Vultur fulvus occidentalis. 



Lastly, Mr. John Cassin, in his notes on the Vulturidce in the 

 collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (pub- 

 lished in the 'Proceedings' of that Academy for 1849, p. 158), re- 

 marks finally on the question as to the plurality of species confounded 

 under G. fulvus, that — " In the present case the number of speci- 

 mens" (16!) "is not sufficiently large to warrant a conclusion, but 

 they appear to present uniformly different characters enough to induce 

 the opinion that the following are specifically distinct; — Gyps fulvus, 

 (Gm.) ; G. Kolbei (Daud.) ; G. indicus, (Tern.) ; and G. tenuirostris, 

 (Hodgson) ;" though he afterwards expresses a doubt with regard to 

 the correct identification of the last, and believes the G. indicus, (Tern.), 

 to be from Africa! Mr. Jerdon, however, considers that M. Tcm- 

 minck's plate of his Vultur indicus represents the young of G. benga- 

 lensis, (Gmelin). 



75. G. indicus (Gray and Mitchell, ///. Gen. Birds, pi. 3). 

 Syn. Vultur indicus, Scopoli and Latham. 



* Dr. Riippell himself, however, now considers them to be the same. Vide his 

 Systematische uebersichi der Vogel Nord-osi Africa's &c. (1845), p. 9. 



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