TtYPS FT^LVrS S3 



The Griffon-Vulture is resident and abundant in some parts of 

 North Tunisia, but, so far as my experience goes, is not so often to be 

 met with south of the Atlas mountains, being indeed entire!)' wanting 

 in many of the southern districts of the Eegency, even where fairly 

 high mountains occur. 



Baron v. Erlanger, however, appears to have met with the species 

 on various occasions in Southern Tunisia, even as far south as Galb- 

 el-Assued, which lies to the south-west of Douirat (J. f. 0. 1898, 

 p. 449). 



In Noi'th Tunisia the Griffon is to be found on most of the higher 

 ranges of mountains. The Djebel Ressas, or Lead-INIountain (so 

 called from the large quantities of ore obtained there), about ten miles 

 to the south-east of the town of Tunis, was formerly a favourite haunt 

 of these birds, and some years ago I found a large colony breeding there. 

 On the occasion of my last visit to Tunis in 1902, the colony had dis- 

 appeared and only a few scattered pairs were breeding on the moun- 

 tain, the nest of one of which was discovered. In the neighbourhood 

 of Zaghouan, about twenty miles south of the town of Tunis, the 

 Griffon is also plentiful. Mr. Salvin (Ibis, 1859, p. 178), found this 

 Vulture plentiful in the Eastern Atlas, not far from the town of 

 Souk-Ahras, and in other localities near the Algerio-Tunisian frontier, 

 and he gives some interesting particulars regarding this and other 

 large birds of prey met with in that neighbourhood. 



In Algeria, according to Loche, the Griffon is very common in all 

 three provinces, and it also occurs in Marocco, being, according to 

 Favier, numerous near Tangier. From South Marocco I have no note 

 of its occurrence, nor yet from Tripoli, although the species pro- 

 bably occurs in both these countries. 



In its habits the Griffon-Vulture is sociable and gregarious, and 

 at times is found congregating in vast numbers. Eminently a moun- 

 tain bird, its home is in cliffs and inaccessible precipices, but it may 

 occasionally be encountered soaring over plains at a considerable 

 distance from any mountains or rocky country. 



When perching by its nest or on the ground, particularly if gorged 

 with food, the bird seems dull and heavy, but when on the wing its 

 flight is powerful and untiring, and is capable of being sustained for 

 hours together. When soaring, the bird ascends to a great altitude 

 and often disappears out of sight. It was for long a vexed question 

 among ornithologists whether the Vulture depends chiefly on its keen- 



