170 
BIRDS OF BEITISH BUEMAH. 
Genus PSEUDOGYPS, Sharpe, 
549. PSEUDOaYPS BENGALENSIS. 
THE INDIAN WHITE-BACKED VULTURE. 
Vultur bengalensis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 245. Gyps bengalensis, Jerd. B. Ind. 
i. p. 10; Hume, Rough Notes, i. p. 26; id. Nests and Eggs, p. 7', id. 8. F. iii. 
p. 19 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 65. Pseudogyps bengalensis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. 
Mus. i. p. 11 ; Oates, S. F. v. p. 142 ; Htmie Bav. S. F. V\. p. 1 ; Hume, S. F. 
yiiis p. 81 ; ScuUg, S. F. viii. p. 219 ; Bingham, S. F. ix. p. 142 ; Oates, S. F. x. 
p. 177 ; Kelham, Ibis, 1881, p. 364. 
Description. — Male and female. Head and neck naked^ with a few 
brownisli bristles ; a ruff at tlie back of the neck white_, and a patch above 
the breast black ; back and upper tail-coverts dark brownish or black ; 
rump white; lower plumage chocolate-brown^ with fulvous-white shaft- 
stripes ; wings and tail blackish ; the upper wing-coverts margined with 
reddish brown ; under wing-coverts white ; inner side of the thighs covered 
with white down. 
Iris brown ; skin of head pinkish brown ; bill dark plumbeous ; legs 
brown ; claws black. 
Length 35 inches^ tail 10^ wing 23, tarsus 3-8;, bill from gape 2' 5. 
The above measurements are those of a female; the male appears to be 
of about the same size. 
The Indian White-backed Vulture is abundant over the whole Province. 
It is found in the Indo-Burmese countries and the peninsula of 
India_, in Siam^ Cochin China and the Malay peninsula nearly down to 
Singapore. 
This species bears a superficial resemblance in coloration to the prece- 
ding^ but may be known at all ages by having twelve tail-feathers instead 
of fourteen_, which is the number G. indicus possesses. It is found 
in large flocks feeding on carrion and frequenting the trees growing 
near cantonments and villages. It breeds in November and December^ 
making a large nest of sticks in very high trees and laying a single egg. 
When fresh the egg is very pale bluish white^ sometimes marked with 
reddish brown^ and as incubation proceeds it becomes very soiled. These 
Vultures breed in great numbers in some high trees near the village of 
Kyeikpadein. 
