GVPS FULVt'S 85 



In some parts of South Spain, according to the late Mr. Stark (Orn. 

 Straits Gib. p. 147), fresh eggs of the Griffon may be obtained, 

 roughly speaking, from February 1st to March 1st, the majority of the 

 birds laying between February 10th and 20th, while near Malaga, 

 many lay as early as the latter half of January. 



The species generally breeds in colonies, which are often composed 

 of a large number of pairs, but occasionally single pairs are to be 

 found breeding at a considerable distance from others of the species. 



As many as fifty pairs, or more, may sometimes be found breeding 

 together, but smaller colonies are more often met with. The colony 

 above alluded to by me, as breeding on the Djebel Ressas, near Tunis, 

 must have numbered about twenty pairs, but even this number forms 

 an imposing spectacle when, suddenly startled from their eyries by 

 a gunshot, the birds simultaneously rise into the air, and circle over- 

 head. 



Precipitous cliffs and ravines are chosen as nesting sites, the caves 

 and clefts where the nests are placed being often of a large size, and 

 generally protected above by overhanging rocks. The nests them- 

 selves are mostly rough structures, composed merely of dry sticks, 

 but at times dry grass is also utilised. The single egg, which forms 

 the usual complement, is white, as a rule, roughly grained, and often 

 stained with blood and dirt, but occasionally eggs are found, with 

 some natural markings, such as spots or blotches of a brown or 

 rufous colour. Mr. E. Cavendish Taylor's collection contains a fine 

 egg thus marked. Two eggs may sometimes be found in a nest, 

 but this is more or less exceptional. Eggs in my collection measure 

 on an average 95 x 69 mm. 



I have no knowledge of the occurrence in Tunisia of the Cinereous 

 Vulture (F. monachus). though Loche states that it is to be found 

 occasionally in Algeria, and examples of this species obtained by him 

 at Zaccar in that country are preserved in the Milan Museum under 

 the Nos. 17,315 and 17,315a. 



