The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-10-12
NULTURES OF INDIA.
GIANT BIRDS WHICH ARE NUMEROUS
AND USEFUL.

AND USEFUL,
When the King NuIturc Comes to a
Ia stand on IntiI Ills Majesty Has
forged Himself.
If tho city of Bombay had tutelary
bird, there is no manner of doubt what
bird that should be. do not know,
lays Il writer in The Times of India,
why tho ancient Egyptian deiiod the
Ibis, but if Bombay bore the proud fig
IRE of vulture rampant on her shield
everybody would know why. OF all tho
unsalariod public servants who have
identified themselves with this city and
devoted their energies To its welfare no
other can take place beside the yul
ture. Unfortunately the yulture has
never lent itself to tho spirit of her
aldry. Tho oaglo has. strangely enough,
though tho difference between the tive
has never been very we'll marked in the
popular mind. Tho trnnslatnrs of our
| Bible had no notion of it.
Modern natural history has Olsen
| tangled the two names and assigned
them to two very different families of
birds, tho distinction between which IN
its essence is just this-that while the
eagle kills its prey the less impatient
vulturo waits decently till its time
comes to die. Popular sentiment persists
in regarding tho former as tho more
noble, but there can BIZ no question
which is tho moro useful
1t is not easy indeed torealizo to ono
self tho extent and beneiioenee of the
work carried ON throughout tho length
and breadth of India from years end to
years end by tho mighty race of vul-
lures. The writer continues. The vul.
lures that ono sees in such numbers on
Malabar hill belong To two species,
which are easy enough to distinguish
when once ones attention has been
turned tn the difference between them.
Tho commOner of the two, the white
backed or Bengal vulturo (Gyp4 bengn
lensisl is u smoky black bird, with II
band of white extending tho whole
length of the wings on the undersidc.
This band is broken by the dirk body,
and that serves Ia distinguish the bird
mt Il glance.
The other species is tho long billed
vulturo (Gyps palleseens) Of BARNES
Jerdon COMPOUNDED it with another spc
cies Its general color Is brown darker
or lighter according To ago, sometimes
almost Witty brown; but, however
white the underparts may be, body and
wings arc alike. Tho two species arc
about the same si2e and larger than one
would suspect who has only seen them
at II distance. A good specimen will
measure over seven feet from tip To tip
of tho wings.
There il ono curious difference in
their habits Tho long billed vulture
breeds always on high cliffs, while ita
Bengal brother Is content to build its
nest on any trco big enough to bear the
weight of such ponderons odilice
have seen single mango treo grooming
under tho weight Of two or three nests
on tho other side of tho harbor. Each
nest contains ono egg, generally white.
but sometimes blotched with brown.
Once fairly in the air, no bird surpasHcs
the majesty of its flight. The question
has often boon hotly discussed whether
birds can sail without Tapping their
wings.
Tho difficulty originated, of course,
with somebody of that unfortunate class
who must reason about n question Of
fact instead Of looking He demonstrat-
ed that such feat was impossible. Tho
vultures kept on doing il all the same,
and any ono may watch them. For
hours together they will sail in circles,
or rather in sprals, without the slight
est motion Of their wings beyond trim
ming them to tho wind like the sails Of
boat. OF course there must be wind
There are two other kinds Of vulturcs
which mny occasionally bo seen in Bonn
bay. Ono is the king vulturo tOtogyps
calvus), IA royal bird, not indeed larger
than tho others, but of nobler aspect and
prouder character. 1t appears singly or
with ITS mate and will not consort with
tho herd. When ii comes To II carcass,
the others have to stand by until it has
uluths IucIt IN ~ uilil'HItt III IttuB
MIXING this species by its deep black col
or, followed only by two pure white
patches on its thighs and by the blood
red tint of its bare head and neck. Our
fourth vulture Is the foul bird known as
Pharaoh's chicken. as well as by other
less reputable names. Its title in scenco
il NeOphron ginginianus,
1t IL one Of tho comm0nest birds
about Poonah and everywhere on tho
plains Of the Deccan, but seldom visits
the coast. have, however, seen pair
on more than ono occasion about tho
fats. 1t III II white bird, not much big
ger than kite, with only tho quill
feathers Of the wing black. Its bill Is
long and thin, its naked face yellow and
it's tail wedge shaped Its neck is not
bare, but clothed with long rusty white
feathers. pointing backward. 1t does
not stand upright. like tho true vultures,
but carries its body like duck and
walks like recruit. by these signs
you may know Pharaoh's chicken 1t
makes its shabby nest of sticks. rags and
rubbish on trees, lodges Of public build
ings or anywhere about March and lays
two white eggs, more or less blotched
,yttt, trntpp