BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
ORDER ACCIPITRES.
SU B -OR D ER FALCONE S .
Fam. VULTURID^E.
1. Gyps k o lb i i . South African Griffon Vulture.
Gyps fulvus, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 6 (1867).
This Vulture is now recognized as distinct from the ordinary
Griffon of Europe, and when seen alive by the side of that' bird is afr
once recognisable by its general paler coloration when adult, and-
uniform under surface. Although pretty generally distributed-
through the colony, it appears to become rarer towards DamaraLand,
as Mr. Andersson writes that it is only sparingly found there. “ I
have only observed it,” he says, “ in the vicinity of the sea, above
Oasop rocks, on the lower course of the Swakop River.” Farther
north on the west coast it is not known to occur, as Señor Anchieta.,
who is travelling from the northward into Damara Land, has not yet
succeeded in finding it. On the eastern coast, however, it is much
more common. Mr. Rickard notices it from Port Elizabeth and East
London, and it is plentiful in hiatal according to Mr. Ayres. The
latter gentleman found it very numerous during his journey from
Potchefstroom to the Limpopo River, and it is doubtless this species
which was met with in the Zambesi delta during November and
December, by Dr. Kirk (cf, Ibis, 1864, p. 814). During his journey
through the Matabili country Mr. T. E. Buckley says it was not a
very common species.
The present bird is one of the typical South African species, being,
as far as we know its range, confined to the limits adopted for the
present work. Its nearest ally is G. himalayensis of Hume from the
B