GRIFFON VULTURE. (i 
of 70° to 75° with the horizon. For about two thirds of its height it 
is as smooth as a wall, and offers no facilities for nesting. Above this 
the cliff becomes more broken; numerous long vertical fissures and 
caverns are to be seen extending to within a few yards of the top, which 
is amass of huge crags and boulders heaped one on the other, with a 
dense jungle of palmetto, aloes, &c. growing out of every cranny and 
making it quite inacessible. We decided that we would commence our 
attack from the left flank of the cliff, which seemed to offer some facilities 
for ascent in the shape of several broken ledges running across the face 
of the cliff at about an angle of 45°. 
“‘ Having worked our way through a densely wooded ravine, we at length 
found ourselves at the foot of the cliff. After several ineffectual climbs 
through palmettoes and thorns of every description, we had the luck to hit 
upon a narrow ledge leading towards the middle of the cliff. Following 
this for some fifty yards or more, we arrived at a small grassy terrace 
terminating abruptly in a precipice, and situated between the main cliff 
and a huge semidetached crag. From this point we could see the whole 
face of the cliff, and far away above us several Griffon Vultures basking 
in the sun. x 
“ As it was impossible to advance further, my friend decided to wait at 
this spot, whilst I retraced my steps and tried to find some means to 
ascend higher. After one or two ineffectual attempts I at length suc- 
ceeded in climbing up almost on a level with the part of the cliff most 
frequented by the Griffons ; and several of them took wing. My friend, 
now far below me, fired his revolver, when a number of splendid old 
birds dashed out of the small caves to my front and above me. I was 
almost in despair, as I was at last nearly within reach of my long-coveted 
prize, and yet apparently it was hopeless to proceed any further ; but 
having escaladed the stratified portion of the cliff I found myself on a ledge 
at the entrance to a chasm. Climbing up this, the strata became more and 
more clearly defined, until the whole surface of the cliff was made up of 
a mass of horizontal ledges from one to three inches in thickness. Owing 
to the general slope of the cliff, I found it was quite practicable to sidle 
along many portions of the actual face of the great precipice. Keeping 
a firm grip with my fingers on strata above me, my bare feet obtaining 
support from the lower tiers of strata, I soon reached a ledge commanding 
the main nesting-place ; and on looking down over a projecting spur I saw 
right into a large nest about ten feet below me! Between me and it the 
rock became vertical, and I was unable to descend. I think that I had 
now gone beyond the stage of counting the cost ; for I scrambled round to 
the opposite side of the nest, and, having reached a spot about six feet over 
it, I somehow slipped down right into it with a foot on each side. I was 
quite exhausted from the climb and the excitement, and sat down by 
