344 The Lamnicrgcirr in Capfiviti/. 



The Lammergeier in Captivity. 



(Gi/paefiis harhatus, Linn). 

 By H. Whistlee, I. P., M.B.O.U. 



It so chanced that in February, 1911, T \va,s .shoolin.i;: in 

 that i^ortion of the Punjab Salt Range whicli abuts on the 

 River Indus, and cros-^ed over to the Kohat Hills, on the 

 other side oi the river. The primary object of pursuit was 

 the Oorial or Punjab Wild Sheep, but I was also on the look 

 out for anything of ornithological interest. 



Hence I was interested to note that the liammergeier 

 was extremely common in these hills— in fact on occasion it 

 was to be seen flying low round villages in the manner of 

 Common Kite Milvus govinda— and 1 thought it Avould be 

 a good opportunity to try for eggs. 



My friend and host, the Malik of Kalahagh, kindly 

 offered to secure a nest for me and sent out Avord round the 

 hills that any nests found were to be reported. This order 

 produced news of two eyries which (as I had by then returned 

 to my district) were examined by the Malik's "Shikaris." 

 One nest was found to contain eggs, but although the eggs 

 were visible from a neighbouring crag, the nest itself wa« 

 unapproachable. The second nest was in an accessible posi- 

 tion, and a man climbed up to find it contained a young bird 

 which was taken and sent to me. 



This young bird reached me in Rawal Pindi, on March 

 .Srd, and I determined to try and rear it— as a bird somewhat 

 rare in the annals of aviculture! 



When received, the nestling was about the size of a 

 young Goose, clothed in dirty brownish -grey down, with young 

 feathers b-r-eaking through the down, most notably the quills 

 and scapulars. There was as yet no trace of the well-known 

 blood red colour of the sclerotic membrane. He was very 

 voracious and noisy, giving vent to a ciirious shrill squeak. 

 I kept him. in a large basket and fed him on butcher's meat 

 and fresh or shi'e birds, but he Avas ahvays "asking for more." 

 Once, indeed, I did give the young brute a real gorge — as 

 much as he Avantcd— and he l^ecame so uneasy in consequence 

 tb.at I tried to administer an emetic; but such things ap- 



