NATURAL HISTORY. 193 



The LAMMERGEYER (Germ. Lambs' -eagle), or BEARDED VUL- 

 TURE, inhabits most mountain ranges, and is very common in 

 the Alps of Switzerland, and Germany, where from its depre- 

 ciations on the kids and lambs, it has earned its name of Lam- 

 mergeyer. 



Although called the "Bearded" Vulture, it is not strictly a 

 vulture, as its head and neck are feathered, and it rejects putrid 

 flesh, unless hard pressed by hunger. 



It destroys hares, and young or sickly sheep and goats, nor, 

 when rendered fierce by hunger, does it fear to attack the 

 adult chamois, or even man. It is said to destroy the larger 

 animals by watching until they are near the brink of a preci- 

 pice, and then suddenly driving them over the rocks by an un- 

 expected swoop. In this manner the strong and swift chamois 

 falls a victim to the craft of its winged foe, and instances are 

 not wanting where the chamois hunter himself has been struck 

 from a narrow ridge into the valley beneath by a blow frcni 

 this ferocious bird. 



It is exceedingly bold, and shows but little fear of man. "While 

 Bruce was preparing his dinner on the summit of a mountain, 

 one of these birds, after scalding its feet in several unavailing 



' O O 



attempts to extract some meat out of the boiling w T ater, actually 

 seized a piece from a platter, and went off with it. 



The name of " Bearded" Vulture is given to it on account 

 of the long tuft of hairs with which each nostril is clothed. 

 The length of its body is about four feet, and the expanse of 

 its wings from nine to ten. The second and third primary 

 feathers are the longest. 



It lays two eggs, white, marked with brown blotches. 



THE CONDOR. 



The Sarcorhamphidse are distinguished by a fleshy tuft 

 growing on their beaks, somewhat resembling the wattles of a 

 turkey. The genus Sarcorhamphos includes the Condor, the 

 King Vulture, and the California!! Vulture. These birds are 

 distinguished by the wattles on their beaks, their naked necks, 

 and the size of the nostrils. The third primary feather is the 

 longest. 



