EGGS 



OF 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



FAMILY FALCONID^J, 

 OR DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. 



Our native Birds of Prey are fourteen in number, all of which 

 still nest in some part or other of the British Islands. Seventeen 

 species are accidental or regular visitors on migration. The Owls 

 are not included, but are considered to be a distinct Family. 



THE GKIFFON VULTUKE. 

 (Vultur fulvus.)* 



Plate 1, Fig. 3. 



An accidental visitor to Great Britain, of which one example 

 only has been actually obtained. 



The Griffon chooses a perpendicular or overhanging limestone 

 cliff, in which hollows or caves, rather than ledges, are found at 

 a considerable height from the ground. The birds build usually a 

 great nest of sticks, very rough on the outside, but more or less 

 carefully smoothed and hollowed out in the middle, and lined 

 with sheep's wool, goats' hair, dry grass, leaves, or anything they 

 can pick up. The egg (there is seldom more than one) is laid 

 from January to March. The texture is coarse, with little or no 

 gloss. Most eggs are white, or nearly so; but some shew a con- 

 siderable amount of marking, which cannot be explained by any 

 supposition of their being stained. They vary in size from 3 '85 

 to 3'5 inches in length, and from 2'9 to 2'7 inches in breadth. 



* Gyps fulvus — Saunders, Manual, p. 301 ; Sharpe, Handb. Brit. B., II., p. 116. 



