26 
THE ALPINE, OR EGYPTIAN VULTURE . 
aspect of the bird is sufficiently curious. The sexes are clothed alike when adult. On 
account of the color of its plumage, the Egyptian Vulture is popularly termed the White 
Crow by the Dutch colonists, and Akbobas, or White Father, by the Turks. It is also 
familiarly known by the name of Pharaoh’s Chicken, because it is so frequently repre- 
sented in the hieroglyphics! inscriptions of Egypt. When young, the color of its plumage is 
a chocolate brown, the neck and shoulders are covered with gray-tipped feathers, and the 
beak and feet are a very dull ochry yellow. The white plumage of the adult state is not 
attained until the bird has completed its third year. 
As is the case with the Vultures in general, the Egyptian Vulture is protected from injury 
by the strictest laws, a heavy 
penalty being laid upon any one 
who should wilfully destroy one 
of these useful birds. Secure 
under its human protection, the 
bird walks fearlessly about the 
streets of its native land, perches 
upon the houses, and, in com- 
mon with the pariah dogs, soon 
clears away any refuse sub- 
stances that are thrown into the 
open streets in those evil-smell- 
ing and undrained localities. 
This bird will eat almost any- 
thing which is not too hard for 
its beak, and renders great ser- 
vice to the husbandman by de- 
vouring myriads of lizards, rats, 
and mice, which would render 
all cultivation useless were not 
their numbers kept within limits 
by the exertion of this useful 
Vulture. It has been also seen 
to feed on the nara, a rough, 
water-bearing melon, in com- 
mon with cats, leopards, mice, 
ostriches, and many other crea- 
tures. The eggs of the ostrich 
are said to be a favorite food 
with the Egyptian V ulture, who 
is unable to break their strong 
shells with his beak, but attains 
his object by carrying a great pebble into the air, and letting it drop upon the eggs. 
The wings of this species are extremely long in proportion to the size of the bird, and the 
lofty soaring flight is peculiarly graceful. It is but a small bird in comparison with many of 
those which have already been mentioned, being not much larger than the common rook of 
Europe. The nest of the Egyptian Vulture is made upon the shelf or in the cleft of a lofty 
rock, and the gray- white eggs are three or four in number. It is a curious fact, that during 
the season of reproduction the male bird slightly changes his aspect, the yellow bill becoming 
orange, and retaining that tint until the breeding season is over. Like many rapacious ani- 
mals and birds, the Egyptian Vulture does not disdain to feed on insects, and has been 
observed in the act of following a ploughman along his furrows, picking up the worms and 
grubs after the fashion of the common rook. 
EGYPTIAN VULTURE . —Neophron perenopterus. 
