THE GRIFFON-VULTURE, 



183 



noticeable on wing-coverts ; under -parts more pinkish than in 

 adult and with more conspicuous pale shaft-streaks. 



First winter and summer. — The juvenile plumage is completely 

 moulted apparently when bird is about a year old but as birds 

 examined have been found moulting at all times of year period is 

 uncertain. New plumage appears to be exactly as juvenile, but 

 darker on upper-parts. 



Subsequent plumages. — Owing to the similarity of the plumages 

 it is difficult to trace sequence with certainty but at second moult 

 down on crown becomes more bristle-like though not so long as in 

 adult. Rest of plumage apparently as before. At what appears 

 to be third moult crown is covered with bristle-like down as in 

 adult, much of ruff is as adult but there are interspersed a certain 

 number of long pointed feathers as in young but with longer rami 

 and more loosely constructed and creamy-white with brownish 

 edges ; rest of plumage as adult. Probably at next moult (i.e. 

 when bird is about four years old) it becomes like adult. 



Measurements and structure. — $ wing 70-76 cm. (one juv. 65) 

 (measured with tape, see vol. 1, p. *xm), tail 280-325 mm., tarsus 

 105-125, bill from cere 52-55 (14 measured). $ wing 70-76 cm. 

 Primaries : 3rd, 4th and 5th about equal and longest but varying 

 up to 10 mm. and 5th usually shortest, 2nd sometimes as long but 

 usually 10-20 shorter, 6th 20-40 shorter, 1st 70-90 shorter ; 2nd to 

 7th emarginated on outer and 1st to 6th on inner webs. Tail nearly 

 square, 14 feathers, tips rather square. About one-third of front 

 of tarsus covered with woolly down. Middle toe much longer 

 than others, claws not greatly curved and not sharp. Bill, upper 

 mandible very high and much compressed with short, decurved, 

 pointed tip, under mandible shallow and rounded with rounded tip. 

 Nostrils bare, and slit-like, -placed nearly perpendicularly. 



Soft parts. — Bill horn-colour, tip and cere darker and more 

 slate-colour ; legs and feet grey ; iris brown to golden-brown. 



Characters and allied 

 forms . — G.f.fulvescens (India) 

 is paler. Down covered head 

 and neck, ruff and very large 

 size distinguish Griffon-Vul- 

 ture from other British birds. 



Field -characters . — Usually 

 to be seen soaring with motion- 

 less wings in wide circles, 

 either in company or singly, 

 and often at great heights. 

 Rectangular shape of wings, 

 retracted head and short 

 square-cut tail, projecting only 

 slightly from line of under-surface of wings, together with light 



r^> 



The Griffon- Vulture (G. fulvus), as viewed from 



below. 



{From a diagrammatic sketch by H. M. Wallis.) 



