1 68 APPENDIX. 



are black ; they are fix in number. The lefTer fea- 

 thers are three, of an iron-grey, lighter towards the middle, 

 and thefe are covered with three others lefTer ftill, but of the 

 fame form, of an iron nifty colour ; thofe feathers that co- 

 ver the large wing-feathers are at the top for about an 

 inch and a quarter of an iron-grey, but the bottom is pure 

 white. The tail is broad and thick above, and draws to a 

 point at the bottom.. It is not compofed of large feathers, 

 and is not half an inch longer than the point of its wings. 

 Its thighs are cloathed with a foft down-like feather, as far 

 as the joint. Its legs are of a dirty white, inclining to 

 ilem colour, rough, with fmall tubercules which are foft 

 and flefhy. It has three toes before and one behind ; the 

 middle of thefe is confiderably the longeft ; they are armed 

 with black claws, rather ftrong than pointed, or much 

 crooked. It has no voice that ever I heard, generally goes 

 ftngle, and oftener fits and walks upon the ground than 

 upon trees. It delights in the moft putrid and ftinking 

 kind of carrion, has itfelf a very ftrong fmell, and putrifies 

 very fpeedily. 



It is a very great breach of order, or police, to kill any 

 one of thefe birds near Cairo. But as there are few of its 

 fpecies in Egypt, and its name is the fame all over Africa 

 and Arabia, it feems to me ftrange that the Arabian or He- 

 brew writers mould have found fo much difficulty in dif- 

 covering what was the bird. It lays but two eggs, and 

 builds its neft in the moft defert parts of the country. More 

 of its hiftory or manners I do not know. The books are 

 full of fanciful ftories concerning it, which the inftmclied 

 reader at firft fight will know to be but fable. 



3 ERKOOM 



