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CHAPTER VIII. 
THE GRIFFON VULTURE (Gyps filvus). 
Vulture’s reputations—Horrible appearance when feeding—Splendid sight on 
the wing—Personal cleanliness—A tame Griffon—A great bather—The 
fascination of large birds—My first Vulture’s cliff—An unscientific climb in 
1878—Nests in caverns—Passages through uptilted strata—Griffons’ nests— 
Great variety in style— Marked” Griffon’s eggs—Dimensions of nests— 
Time of nesting—Carrying materials for nests—Periodical repairs—Sanitary 
precautions—Carrying powers of beak and foot—Young Griffons—Habit 
of simulating death—and extreme sickness—Closing an interview—The 
Vulture’s ruff—Successive stages of plumage—Powers of resistance—Savage 
appearance—But harmless and afraid of man—An exception to the rule—A 
wounded Griffon—Vast numbers of Vultures in Spain—Habit of roosting 
in trees. 
ULTURES have deservedly acquired 
an unsavoury reputation, and _ it 
would be hopeless to expect the 
average traveller who has seen them 
intent on their normal occupation 
of feeding on some carcase, not 
infrequently putrid, from viewing 
them with intense disgust and abhor- 
rence. So intent are the birds as 
they swarm round a dead animal 
and rend it to fragments with their 
powerful beaks, bolting huge lumps, 
that it is easy enough to approach 
close enough to watch their every 
