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CHAPTER V. 
THE BLACK VULTURE (Vultur monachus). 
The largest tree-nesting raptorial bird—A difficult stalk—Size and weight— 
Seeking the nest—Expedition to Old Castile—Great pine forests—A 
prolonged search—Find a nest—An awkward tree—A repulse—Doroteo 
the woodman—Return to the attack—Ascent of tree—Marvellous rope work 
—Find a second nest —An interesting ascent—Description of nest and egg— 
Photographing with “ fixed focus’’ hand camera.—On the tree-top. How 
the distance was obtained—Find a third nest—Tree 130 ft. high—Kite 
flying as a means of reaching nests—Captain D’Arcy Irvine’s line-throwing 
eun—A ride through the pine forest—Los Siete Picos—Puerto de Guadar- 
rama. 
HIS majestic bird is perhaps the best 
example of the paradoxes which so 
often confront the students of wild 
birds in their haunts. 
The popular belief that all the 
great European Vultures habitually 
resort to cliffs for their nesting- 
stations is in the case of the 
Black Vulture rudely shattered. For 
although the majority of Vultures do 
certainly nest in cliffs, the Black 
Vulture as regularly resorts to trees. 
In Europe the Griffons invariably 
nest in cliffs, as do the Bearded 
Vultures, and the Neophrons (or 
Egyptian Vultures) usually resort to 
the cliffs. But the Black Vulture is 
