THE VULTURE. 
29 
lour, and the claws are black. The male Aqui- 
line Vulture is entirely white, except the quill 
feathers, which are black, edged with hoary ; 
but the female is brown, with the same excep- 
tion of the quill feathers. The Cape Vulture 
bears a great similarity to the last species, but 
its head is of a bright blue colour, covered with 
a yellowish down, and its plumage is somewhat 
of a coffee colour. 
The Vulture is common in many parts of 
Europe ; and in Egypt, Arabia, and many other 
kingdoms of Africa and Asia, he is found in 
great abundance. In Egypt, and particularly 
in Grand Cairo, there are great flocks of them, 
which render a most important service to the 
inhabitants, by devouring all the filth and car- 
rion, which might otherwise render the air pes- 
tilential. The ancient Egyptians were so sensi- 
ble of the utility of this bird that they made 
it a capital crime to put one of them to death. 
