( io6 ) 
The Bearded Vulture. 
r 'l~^ HIS Bird is of the Bignefs of an Eagle : broad-ways it meafures feven Feet 
j and a half, the Wings being extended ; from Bill-point to Tail-end it meafures 
three Feet four Inches; from Bill-point to the End of the Claws but two Feet eight 
Inches. The Wing when clofed meafures two Feet four Inches ; the prime Quills 
are more than twenty-three Inches long. 
The Bill is of a Purple Flefh Colour, darker towards the Point than at the Bafe : 
From its Point to the Angle of the Mouth, it Meafures four Inches: It extends itfelf 
in Length a little before it bends into a Hook, which is one of the principal Diffindfi- 
ons between the Eagle and the Vulture Kind ; the Eagle’s Bill always begins t be 
arched at its Bafe, and continues fo to its Point. From the Root of the lower Manda- 
ble of the Bill it hath a remarkable Tuft of Black Feathers, for which Reafon I have 
called it bearded. The Mouth is Blue within Side ; the Eyes are placed juft above the 
Slits of the Mouth ; the Circle round the Eye is of a bright Yellow, and without 
that is another Circle, being a fine deep-red Skin, that is firmly fixed on the Ball of 
the Eye. The Sides and Fore-part of the Head is Black ; which Blacknefs encompaftes 
the Eyes, and fhows them to Advantage; the Noftrils are cover’d with ftiff black 
Feathers ; from behind each Eye extends a black Line, which bends upwards, and 
meets in the hinder Part of the Head. It hath alfo a Dafh of Black from each Corner 
of the Mouth, which tends a little downward in the Form of Whifkers; the reft of 
the Head and the whole Neck are covered with white Feathers, fhort on the Head, 
but long, loofe and pointed on the Neck, like thofe on a Cock’s Neck. The upper Side, 
Back,Wings and Tail are of a dark Colour between Brown and Black; the lefter Covert 
Feathers of the Wings have Dailies of bright Reddifli-brown down their Shafts, very 
narrow ; the Edges of the Feathers on the whole Upper-fide are fomething lighter 
than the other Parts of the Feathers; the greater Feathers of the Wings and Tail 
have their Shafts White; the middle Feathers of the Tail are fomething longer than 
the Side Feathers; the Infides of the Wings are coloured as they are without, except 
that the Dafhes down the Shafts of the Covert Feathers are larger and whiter. It hath 
a Space under each Wing, cover’d only with white Down, of the Bignefs of a Man’s 
whole Hand; the Bottoms or Roots of the Feathers all over the Bird are White; it 
hath alfo a very thick, foft, white Down all over the Body under its Feathers. The 
underSide, Breaft, Belly, Thighs and Coverts under the Tail are White, a little tinc¬ 
tured with a Reddifh-brown ; the Legs are cover’d with fhort white downy Feathers, 
which are, when it perches, cover’d by the longer Feathers of the Thighs; the Feet are 
of a Lead-colour,the Claws dufky, the middle and outer Toes on each Foot are joined 
by a ftrong Skin. 
It was brought from Santa Cruz on the Coaft of Barbary , by Captain John Dob- 
fon. I had not the good Luck to fee it living, but my Friend the Captain fent it to me 
from a Merchant’s,to whom he had prefented it, as foon as it was dead; it yet retaining 
the bright Colour of the Eyes and Feet, in which State I laid it before the Royal. 
Society, Feb . 18, 1747. 
I can meet with no Defcription of this Bird, but find a Print by N. Robot, Cabinet- 
Painter to Lewis XIV, in a Set of Prints of Birds, publifhed by him at Paris ; the 
Plates are about feven Inches wide and nine high, the Set contains thirty-one. The 
Bird in the Second Plate call’d Vulture , is not the Common Vulture, but fomething 
refembling the above deferib’d. 
The 
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B 
