258 LORD LILFORD 



of visitors into roars of laughter, and must be 

 seen to be believed in. At all events, I should be 

 extremely puzzled to do them adequate justice 

 with pen and ink. During this performance of 

 its companion, the Griffon Vulture frequently 

 assumes very absurd attitudes of defiance — 

 possibly of admiration — but does not take any 

 very active part in the " show." 



' We have two fine Bearded Vultures, or Larn- 

 mergeyers, one of which (with a companion that 

 has died very lately) enjoyed complete liberty, 

 since its arrival here as a nestling, till a few days 

 ago, when I was obliged to have it caught up 

 and confined on account of its insisting on 

 making the roof of the house its roosting-place. 

 I extremely regret this necessity, as the sight 

 of these large birds soaring about the place, 

 generally pursued by a cloud of rooks, was 

 certainly unique in England, and afforded to me, 

 who am well acquainted with the Larnmergeyer 

 in its native haunts, a constant source of interest 

 and pleasant memories of localities that are still, 

 to a great extent, unspoiled by man. 



' These birds of mine were very tame and per- 

 fectly harmless ; indeed, with the exception of a 



