A 0 0 1 PITRES. VULTURID/Fi.
N e o ph r o n p e r c n o p t e r u s (Linnaeus*).
THE EGYPTIAN VULTURE.
Neophron percnopterus.
N e o ph r o n , Savignyf.—Beak straight, slender, elongated, rounded above,
encircled at the base with a naked cere, which extends more than half the length
of the beak: upper mandible with straight edges, hooked at the tip ; under
mandible blunt, and shorter than the upper. Nostrils, near the middle of the
beak, elongated, longitudinal. Head and neck partly bare of feathers. Wings
long, rather pointed ; the third quill-feather the longest. Legs of moderate
strength and length ; tarsi reticulated ; feet with four toes, three before, one
behind ; anterior toes united at the base. Tail-feathers fourteen.
Two examples of this Vulture were seen on the shores of
the Bristol Channel, and one of them, now in the possession
of the Rev. John Matthew, of Kilve, in Somersetshire, was
shot near that place in October, 1825. “ When first discovered,
it was feeding upon the carcass of a dead sheep, and
* Vultur percnopterus, Linnieus, Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. 123 (1766).
+ Systeme des Oiseaux de l’Egypte et de la Syne, p. 8 (1810).
had so gorged itself with the carrion as to be unable or unwilling
to fly to any great distance at a time, and was therefore
approached without much difficulty and shot. Another bird,
similar to it in appearance, was seen at the same time upon
wing at no great distance, which remained in the neighbourhood
a few days, but could never be approached within
range, and which was supposed to be the mate of the one
killed.”
On the 28th of September, 1868, as recorded by Dr. Bree
in ‘The Zoologist ’ for that year (p. 1456), another Egyptian
Vulture Avas shot at Peldon, in Essex, attracted by the blood
of some slaughtered geese. This bird, as seems to have
been the case also with the Somersetshire specimen, is said
to have been in immature plumage, and is minutely described
by Dr. Bree.
The Egyptian Vulture is said to be common in the interior
of South Africa, but, according to Mr. Ayres, it is rare in Natal,
and Mr. Layard states that it is decidedly a scarce species
near Capetown. I t is there called by various names which
signify “ White Crow,” the name referring to the adult bird.
Le Vaillant states that this species inhabits the whole of
Southern Africa, and is infinitely more common Avithin the
tropics than elsewhere. The Egyptian Vulture does not live
in flocks, like other Vultures ; although, Avlien attracted by a
carcase, eight or ten may be seen assembled. At other times
it is rare to see more than two together. The male and female
seldom separate. In the districts which this species inhabits,
every group of natives has a pair of these Vultures attached
to it. The birds roost on the trees in the vicinity, or on the
fences which bound the inclosures formed for their cattle.
They are to a certain degree domiciled and harmless. The
people do them no injury : on the contrary, they are rather
glad to see and encourage them, because they clear the premises
of all the offal and filth they can find. In default of
other food, they eat frogs, lizards, and snakes.
Like the preceding species, the Egyptian Vulture is unknown
along the western coast of Africa; but, unlike it, it
inhabits the Cape Verde Islands and the Canaries, and has