914 JOURNAL, BO MBA Y NA TOR A L HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XV 11 



place ! That Jerdon found large bones and the hoof of an ibex, inside a Lam- 

 mergeyer, is no proof that the bird had killed the sheep, and the same applies 

 to the hair and fractured shoulder blade of a ghooral. found by General Osborn. 

 I have twice seen a Lammergeyer picking out tit bits from the remains of a 

 panther's kill, and it is not an uncommon sight to see one waiting close at hand, or 

 circling over a carcase at which vultures are making merry. Though he does 

 not often fraternize with them, he is none too proud to select bones from what 

 remains of their feast, after the vultures have left. Nearly all birds of prey which 

 do their own hunting use their hind talon most for striking their prej r , and one 

 glance at the comparatively weak, though enormous, foot and small blunt 

 talons of a Lammergeyer precludes all idea of the possibility of his being able 

 to hurl anything approaching the size and strength of a ghooral, much less an 

 Otis amnion over a cliff. Aquila chrysaetus, the G-olden Eagle, of all birds of 

 prey, is the only one capable of such a feat and compare his enormous foot 

 and talons with those of a Lammergeyer. I have sent specimens of both birds 

 to the Society's museum, and the Editor can see and judge for himself. 



In captivity the Lammergeyer rarely attempts to use his claws as 

 a means of defence or offence and much prefers biting. Whereas the Golden 

 Eagle will seldom attempt to bite, but will shoot out its foot at every oppor- 

 tunity and woe-betide anything that comes into its clutches. 



I have a tame eyass with me now and knov« T what his grip is, even through a 

 very thick and hard cow-hide gauntlet, even though he is a youngster only 

 just beginning to fly. 



C. H. DONALD, f.z.s. 



Bushahr State, Simla District, 

 23rd July 1908. 





No. XVIIL— MATERNAL SOLICITUDE. 



With reference to Major Begbie's article, on page 680 of Yol. XVIII, " On 

 the Habits of the Bengal Red Whiskered Bulbul," it may be of interest to some 

 of our members to learn that lapwing, plovers and bulbuls are by no means the 

 only birds which simulate broken wings or legs, to delude the uninitiated into 

 following them and so getting away from the nests. Doves generally, but the 

 little spotted dove in particular, is a past master in the art of feigning a hurt 

 wing. I have also seen the Indian Grey Shrike (Lanius lahtora) play the 

 same game, but not quite so well as a dove, and the other day I was not a little 

 surprised at seeing a black partridge, which took me in completely for the 

 minute, rise about 2 ft. out of a patch of grass, and fall back sideways. The 

 bird could not have done it better had it really bad a broken wing, but very 

 nearly paid dearly for its maternal solicitude on this occasion, as a setter of 

 mine made a rush forward and only just missed it by inches before I had time 

 even to call. As the mother flew off I looked about and there sure enough was 

 a brood of tiny chicks running about the grass. I had three dogs with me so had 

 to beat a hasty retreat calling them after me. A woodcock, too, will go flapping 



