Order I. ACCIPITRES. 
Family I. Vulturidte. 
I he third Subfamily, 
VULTURINiE, or Vultures, 
have the Bill long, strong, more elevated than broad ; the sides more or less compressed ; the base 
-ovtied with a Cere for nearly half the length of the bill; and the tip suddenly hooked over the lower 
mandible ; the Nostrils placed in the cere, with the opening oblique and exposed ; the Wings lengthened ; 
he Taisi covered with small scales; and the middle Toe longer than the tarsi, while the lateral Toes are 
much shorter. 
Vultuu Linn * 
Lll large, much compressed and flattened on the sides ; the culmen elevated and much arched from 
the cere to the tip, which is hooked and acute ; the nostrils placed in the cere, and rather ovate. Wings 
lengthened, pointed, with the first quill short, and the third and fourth the longest. Tail moderate and 
lounded, with the shafts of each feather strong, and projecting beyond the webs. Tarsi feathered 
below the knee, and the rest covered with small reticulated scales. The middle Toe rather longer than 
the tarsi, and united to the outer by a membrane at the base ; the hind toe as long as the inner one ; 
a ud all covered above with strong transverse scales, and armed with slightly curved, strong, rather 
•'cute claws, especially those of the inner and hind toes. 
Head covered with scattered down ; the occiput generally furnished with an elevated transverse crest 
'd closely set down ; and the neck- ruff advancing upwards towards the hinder part of the head. 
This genus comprehends a series of large birds which are peculiar to the warmer parts of‘ the Old World. I hey 
e noticed speedily collecting in troops on the body of any dead animal, although they may not have been seen near 
1 10 l^' u:e f° r some time before. On such food they glut themselves until they are incapable of moving; but they will 
11 1 lot i tries also attack living animals. Their flight is slow, but they arc capable of mounting to a considerable height 
W means of a series of circular evolutions, which serve them not only in ascending, but also in descending. 1 heir 
nest is slightly formed of sticks on the most inaccessible parts of the rocks, and the young are nourished by the parents 
vomiting a portion of their own food. 
!• V. monachus Linn. Edward’s Birds, pi. 290. — Vultur cinereus j 2. V. imperialis Temm. PI. col. 426. 
Ume/. PI. enl. 425. ; Vultur arrianus Temm. ; TEgypius niger Sav. ' 3. V. occipitalis Burch. Trav. S. Afr. ii. 329-, Rupp. Atlas, t. 22. 
Hist, de l’Egypte, Ois. t. 11. j — Vultur galericulatus Temm. PI. col. 13., LeVaill. Ois. d’Afr. t. 12. 
is 
^ted by Linnaeus (Systema Natures) in 1756, from Mcehring who published it in 1752. 
JEgypius of Savigny, established in 1 SOp, 
