504 Conspectus of the Ornithology of India. [No. 7. 



V. tenuiceps et tenuirostris, Hodgson. 

 Hab. India and Malay countries. 

 Remark. This is the only Vulture which we have seen from the 

 Malayan peninsula, and it appears to be common in open country 

 throughout India, never (that we have observed) coming into towns or 

 populous neighbourhoods. Like G. fulvus, it has 1 4 tail-feathers, G. 

 bengalensis having constantly but 12;* and it is remarkable for the 

 elongation of the ceral portion of the bill, and narrow form of the 

 head, as compared with G. bengalensis ; the bill and head of G. fulvus 

 being intermediate. Its plumage much resembles that of G. fulvus; 

 but old birds have merely a few small scattered downy tufts on the 

 black naked neck. The original description of this species by Sonnerat 

 refers to an individual of the second year. 



16. G. bengalensis (Hardwicke's III. Ind. Zool.). 

 Syn. Vultur bengalensis, Gmelin (the young). 



V. indicus, Tern, (young, apud Jerdon in epistold). 



V. chagoun, Daudin -» 



V. leuconotusy Gray / 

 Hab. India generally : Tenasserim provinces. A summer visitant 

 in Afghanistan. Very abundant in populous neighbourhoods, about 

 the outskirts of towns and villages, and occasionally even alighting in 

 the streets, shewing little fear or distrust of the passers-by. f In the 

 open country it is replaced by the preceding species. According to 

 Riippell, G. bengalensis also inhabits Sennaar. 



Subfam. SARCORHAMPHIN^. 

 Genus Neophron, Savigny. 

 11. N. percnopterus (PI. Enl. 407, 429). 



Syn. Vultur percnopterus, L. (nee Pallas). 

 V. leucocephalus et V.fuscus, Gmelin. 



* From the Parrots and Birds of prey until we come to certain Pigeons, there 

 is no other instance of the number of tail-feathers exceeding twelve. 



t On one occasion, when a number of these Vultures had descended in the Socie- 

 ty's compound at sight of some flesh, I observed a particularly fine adult, which I 

 directed an attendant to entice by throwing to it morsels of meat nearer and nearer, 

 when it was taken without difficulty by the hand. On seizing it by the wing, the 

 Vulture struggled to escape, but made no attempt at defence. Its companions, 



