24 The Oologisis' Record, March i, 1922. 



handsome vulture again in the wild state, as I have only had a 

 fleeting view so far, and can add no original observations concerning 

 it, but it is being rapidly extermina*",d by means of poison through- 

 out Europe, and its African prototype is exceedingly scarce. 



Having succeeded in my quest for a Griffon's nest, I next turned 

 my attention towards finding that of its near relative, the Black 

 Vulture, Vultiir monachus, and during the montli of early June, 

 whilst travelling through numerous hills and valleys in the southern 

 part of the island, I obtained another guide who took me to a nest of 

 which he knew. This was built close to an asbestos mine in full 

 working progress and placed in a pine-tree at about thirty-five feet 

 from the ground and something like five thousand feet above sea 

 level. Great numbers of the pine-trees on these mountains are flat- 

 topped, due to the weight of snow during the winter months. Un- 

 fortunately, the egg had hatched, and the young one taken by some of 

 the mine's employees, but its ultimate fate I was unable to discover. 

 Another nest we found within a mile of the first was also empty, 

 but I fancy this had not lately been used. The egg of this species 

 is often remarkably handsome, the white ground colour being hidden 

 by minute and also heavy dullish red spots, or else heavily smudged 

 by slate)^ or brownish blotches, and certain types bear a resemblance 

 to the egg of the Bearded Vulture. 



I possess a photograph of a mounted specimen of the former 

 which well shows the great expanse of wing these birds have, 

 and it was obtained by my, friend, Mr. F. R. S. Baxendale. 

 Commissioner of the Famagusta district, who, for the sum of half- 

 a-crown, persuaded a Greek cook to undertake the disgusting and 

 troublesone task of skinning it. The Neophron, or Egyptian Vulture 

 Neophron percnopterus, is a smaller type than the above species, 

 and differing in colour, which is white with black primaries. It has 

 not yet been recorded from Cyprus, but I fully expect to hear of its 

 presence there, as an accidental visitor — like the Bearded Vulture, — 

 at any date. 



I have seen many Neophrons at Aden and in Somaliland, but 

 my time was too limited to permit of close and easy study. When 

 in the latter country I found several bulky nests, situated in 

 unclimbable trees and precipices, and I much regretted these 

 circumstances prevented fuller investigations on my part. 



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