*4 V U L T U R E .
Manners. large troops. It lives on carrion, and is, with the Ibis, in great
efteem for deftroying fnakes and reptiles, which are common in
Egypt; which circumftance has caufed it frequently to be engraven
on obelifks. About Grand Cairo it is called Ach-
bobba *.
M. Buffon fays, this bird is not fufficiently known, and is
likely to prove the fame with N° 5. But Linnaus having fet it
down, as well as the former, as varieties of his Percnopterus, has
determined us to follow his example till better informed.
8.
■ CINEREOUS
V.
Le Vautour, Brif orn. i. p. 453. N° 1.
-Le Vautour, ou grand Vautour, Buf. oif i. p. 158, t. 5.
■ ■■■■■■■■---- - ------------- ■----Pi. enlum. 425.
Vultur cinereus, Raii Syn. p. 9, N? I*
Cinereous, or Alh-coloured Vulture, Will. orn% p. 66, N° I.
Description.. DR I S SON deferibes this bird in the following manner:— The
fize is that o f an Eagle, or rather bigger: length three feet
fix inches, breadth feven feet nine inches. The head and upper
part o f the neck are covered with brown down: beneath the
throat hangs a kind of beard, compofcd o f very narrow feathers
like hairs: the reft o f the body is covered with brown feathers:
the quills and tail are o f the fame colour, but fomewhat inclining
to a fh: legs covered with feathers quite to the toes, which are
yellow; the claws black. This fpecies is an inhabitant o f Europe:
frequents high mountains, and lives principally on dead carcafes.
9 See .Shaw's Travels, vol. ii. pp. 92.
Le
Le Vautour brun, Brif orn. i. p. 455. N° 2;
Le Vautour de Mal te, Buf. oif i. p. 161.
----- - " . ... . Plt enL 427.
^jpHIS bird is in bulk between a Pheafant and Peacock; is two
feet and an half in length, and the wing, when clofed,
reaches to two thirds the length of the taiL— The bill is black :
head covered with brown down: neck covered with narrow
feathers. The whole bird is of a general brown colour, but the
quills are darkeft; the primaries are white at the tips, and Ipotted
with brown: tail grey brown: legs naked, yellowifh: claws dufky..
This bird inhabits many parts of. Europe, chiefly the ifland o f
Malta*.
# In the ifle of Candia alfó, as well as in all the iflands of the Mediterranean -
Archipelago, Vultures are very common ; the ffeins of which are nearly as thick
a® a calf?s hide. The natives of thefe places, as well as in Egypt and Arabia,.
make great ufe of fuch Ikins,-properly prepared, by way of furrs. The farriers
of thofe parts, have a way of extra&ing thé feathers without difturbing the
down; which, after going through proper operations, become valuable, and
fell very dear.
The ufe that is made of thefe is to wear them on the breaft and ftomach, as'
they are fuppofed to promote digeftion.
The Vultures of the ifle of Cyprus are of the fize of a Swan-; feathered on the
back and wings like an Eagle, and the neck covered with down as foft as the ’
fineft furr.
Thefe birds live only-on carrion, and when they meet with a proper oppor- -
tunity, are faid to fill themlelves lo full, as not to want food again for fifteen
days. Having thus done, they become unable to raife themfelves from the
ground for flight; at which time they are eafily killed, fometimes being hunted-
down with dogs, at other times difpatched with clubs, or other weapons, by the
inhabitants. Defer* de VArchipel, Dapper, p. 50^
Le: