VULTURE. 19 



10.— KOLBEN'S. 



Vultur Kolbii, Ind. Orn. Sup., p. 1. Daud. 1. p. 15. Tern. Man. d'Orn. p. 4. Id. ed. 2. 



p.6. 

 Le Chasse-fiente, Levail. Ois. pi. x. 

 Kolben's Vulture, Gen. Syii. Sup, ii. p. 12. 



THIS is not quite so big as the last, but more common. The bill 

 is pale lead colour; irides deep brown ; head and neck bare, except a 

 few scattered hairs, and of a pale dirty yellow ; round the lower part 

 of the neck is a pale coloured ruff of loose feathers; the plumage is 

 mostly pale tawny yellowish, or Isabella colour; quills and tail black, 

 the latter very little exceeding. The male is smaller than the female. 



Inhabits eveiy where in Africa, but the Sociable Vulture chiefly 

 in the confines of the European plantations — it frequents the rocks or 

 high mountains, which cover the point of Africa from Cape Town to 

 False Bay. Is a voracious and tame species, approaching near to 

 habitations, and even the streets of the Cape, feeding on every kind of 

 offal, devouring also crabs, shell fish, land turtles &c. M. Temminck, 

 supposes it to belong to the Fulvous Vulture, and a bird in imperfect 

 plumage. oui Smi r 



M. LevaUlant observes, that it is different fi'om the Alpine 

 Vulture, as it has not the heart-shaped spot on the breast. ITie 

 colour is greatly different, and the wings longer in proportion — is 

 probably a young bird, of the following species. 



Kolben's Vulture is said to be larger than a vkdld goose, partly 

 black, partly light grey ; bill sharp and crooked, and the talons very 

 large and sharp ; that they are in bodies of 100 or more ; will attack 

 a sick or tired ox, and devour him, beginning at the belly, and so 

 tear out the flesh fiom under the skin, as to leave merely that and the 

 bones, before they quit the carcase. 



D2 



