212 The Black Vulture 
to see the sable plumage and great size of the bird in contrast 
to the two dozen or so of Griffons around him before they all 
took wing. 
At the time I was ignorant of the existence of the species, 
for they are rarely to be seen in south-western Andalucia. Since 
then, from time to time I have come across them in that region 
but, so far as I am aware, there are only one, or at most two, 
pairs which thus venture to intrude upon what is universally 
admitted by the well-regulated laws of Vultures’ society to be the 
freehold property of Gyps fulvus. 
Two years after this my first sight of the Black Vulture, I was 
shooting duck down the banks of a river when I sighted a huge 
black bird in the open plain, some hundreds of yards distant. 
The plain was absolutely level and had been recently ploughed 
up and it was clearly impossible to find any cover to aid me in 
getting within shot. After lying down and watching the bird for 
some time, I noticed that it was facing the wind and seemed to 
be intent on some object to its front. The idea struck me that 
possibly I might be able to approach it from behind and so | 
retraced my steps along the river bank until I arrived at a point 
exactly down-wind of the great bird and some 300 to 400 yards 
from it. Lying down, I commenced a long and exhausting stalk, 
ever keeping my eye on the bird and when it turned its head, 
which it did at intervals, lying prone and waiting on events. 
Finally I got within go yards before it detected my presence 
and, as it rose, I gave it two barrels of No. 4 shot. By chance 
I severed some tendon in one of its great wings, for it crashed 
down and after striking the ground recovered itself and set off 
to flap away across the plough-land. Then ensued a rare chase, 
I following in hot pursuit and firing ineffectually at it from time 
to time. At last it stopped and turned, and as I closed on it 
it made a gallant attempt at a charge. It was an immense female, 
