THE. BEARDED VULTURE. 8*7 



an area of grand mountain scenery, one need never tire of 

 watching the ever- vary ing effects of light and shade as some 

 passing cloud floats .lazily across the deep-blue firmament, 

 temporarily darkening and seemingly altering the rugged 

 features of the mountains beneath it. Sometimes a great 

 bearded vulture (the Lammergeyer of Europe) would come 

 slowly soaring round the wall-like face of a cliff, rising high 

 away to our left, and, with outstretched wings, sweep past so 

 close to us that we could hear the rustle of his pinions. We 

 almost fancied we could see his inquisitive eye regarding our 

 prostrate forms with a hungry, sinister expression, as we lay 

 motionless on the ridge. There was interesting enjoyment, 

 too, in observing, through the spy-glass, the movements of 

 a distant herd of tahr, and charms for the ear in the faint 

 murmur of rushing water far away in the depths of the 

 valley below, and the wild whistling of moonals among the 

 crags. 



However, after waiting there for nearly two hours, we began 

 to grow anxious lest some mishap might have befallen the 

 shikaree. Mist, too, had been gradually gathering around the 

 mountain-tops, the sky became rapidly overcast with dark 

 driving clouds of a leaden hue, and the keen cold wind that 

 accompanied them seemed to indicate an approaching snow- 

 storm. At last/to our relief, the shikaree reappeared, and over 

 his back was slung the musk-deer. Its skin was much torn 

 and its bones were all broken from having been dashed from 

 rock to rock in its fall. 



The musk-deer (Moschus moschiferus of natural history), or 

 kustoora, as it is here called, is a very delicately formed little 

 creature, both in body and limb. It stands, at most, two feet 

 at the shoulder, which is slightly lower than the croup. Its' 

 hind-legs are very long, and are thus well adapted for the 

 agile bounds it is so capable of making amongst the rocks, 

 and have the appearance of being bent under its body, as 

 though always ready for a spring. The ears are roundish, 



