408 Mr. C. Farman on some of the Birds of Prey 



Nidification with this species commences early in March, 

 somewhat earlier than with the Griffon Vulture, in proof of 

 which I may state that on the 30th of April, 1865, I found 

 three young birds in three successive nests of the first, whereas 

 on the same day I took several eggs of the Griffon Vulture, fresh 

 enough to be easily blown, while in no case did I find the 

 eggs hatched. My experience of the following year confirmed 

 me in this opinion, as I invariably found the young of Vultur 

 monachus a full fortnight, and in some cases more, in advance 

 of Gyps fulvus. 



Dr. Bree (B. Eur. i. p. 8) says of the Cinereous Vulture that 

 " it builds among the most inaccessible rocks." This, however, 

 I have not found to be the case ; I have invariably seen the nest 

 placed on a tree, and generally on one of no great size. In 

 April 1865, as just mentioned, I observed several nests of this 

 bird in the thickly wooded country lying to the right of the 

 Pravidy Valley, within about three miles of the town of that 

 name ; and they were all, without exception, placed on trees at 

 an average height of about twenty feet from the ground. Un- 

 fortunately I have nearly always been too late for the eggs of 

 this bird, and have only been able to secure a single example. 

 I am inclined to think that it does not usually lay more than 

 one, as I never found but one young bird in a nest. It is also 

 probable that birds of this species return to the same nest year 

 after year, as I found the nests of 1865 tenanted when I visited 

 them in 1866. 



Gyps fulvus (Linn.). Griffon Vulture. 



Throughout the whole of Central Bulgaria, this is one of the 

 commonest birds ; but, from the nature of the country, it is par- 

 ticularly partial to the Pravidy Valley, which, being in general 

 pretty well supplied with carrion, is peculiarly adapted to this 

 species and others of kindred habits. The valley is about 

 fifteen miles in length, and varies from a quarter of a mile 

 to a mile and a half in breadth. It is surrounded on all sides by 

 precipitous hills, some thickly wooded, others being barren and 

 bare, rising to a height of from one to six or seven hundred feet 

 above the level of the plain, and is watered by a small stream, 

 which in the autumn is nearly dry, but at times ovei*flows 



