460 ORNITHOLOGICAL SKETCHES 
and feathers. During the last fortnight that I had it in 
captivity it grew remarkably fast, was in capital health, 
devoured great quantities of flesh, and was already beginning 
to lay aside all fear of man. It even got quite used to the 
dogs, of which it at first had the greatest dread. 
Both the old Bearded Vultures were magnificent birds, in 
the beautiful orange dress with grey-brown backs, grey-white 
foreheads, black stripes over the eyes, and black bristly 
beards. Irides pale copper-yellow ; cornea reddish brown- 
yellow; beaks horn-blue with a reddish tinge; feet lead-colour. 
Dimensions. 
Sex.| Length. | Breadth. Wing. | Tail. Tarsus. |Middle toe. 
| | | 
cm. cm. em. cm. em. cm. 
ra) lalate 256 81 Bll 8°5 86 
Ors) ela? 264 82 Sil 8:5 88 | 
| 
In order that our great and sudden success may not delude 
the reader into thinking that the Bearded Vulture is a 
common bird in Spain, I may simply say that there, as well 
as in all high mountains, whether situated in Central or 
Southern Europe, Northern Africa, or Central Asia, it is 
very much the reverse. I have rambled through the ranges 
of the north-east of Spain, Central Spain, and those near the 
east coast, have clambered about the Sierra Nevada for a 
whole day, and have sat for a long time on the summit of a 
high hill opposite Mulhacen, the loftiest mountain of that 
chain (which bears the name of Quebranta-huésos, after the 
Bearded Vulture), without once catching sight of this rare 
species. The only three specimens that I have hitherto seen in 
a state of freedom are the two old ones that I shot and the 
