458 ORNITHOLOGICAL SKETCHES 



horizontally, it shoots in like an arrow. We could therefore 

 only get a very hurried glance at this wonderful and highly 

 interesting picture, and it would have been quite impossible 

 to fire while the bird was going at such a rate. The hole, 

 too, was very large and its mouth quite circular, so that it 

 could at once vanish into its dwelling without having to 

 settle on the rock even for an instant. Its long tail, however, 

 protruded, and one could see by its movements that it was 

 busily engaged in placing food before its young one. 



I now stepped out of my hiding-place and looked about for 

 good standing ground among the stones, so that I might make 

 a steady shot. I then shouted out, but it was so occupied 

 with the feeding of its offspring that it paid no attention to 

 my summons ; and it was only after repeated shouts that the 

 long tail vanished into the hole, and in. its place there appeared 

 the goat-like head with its bristly beard and gleaming eyes 

 and the yellow breast of the Bearded Vulture the strangest, 

 rarest, and noblest bird of prey that inhabits the mountains 

 of Europe. Without waiting a second I fired my first barrel, 

 and it fell, plunging past me towards the valley. I gave it the 

 second barrel ; and making another effort, it spread its wings, 

 flew a few hundred yards further, and then, towering to a 

 little height, flapped its wings together and fell dead, rolling 

 down over the loose stones. 



Hardly had we dragged up the slain bird and got our 

 ambush into good order again, when the circling of the other 

 Bearded Vulture high overhead warned us to keep perfectly 

 quiet. After a lapse of ten minutes I suddenly heard the cry 

 of a Raven, and cautiously looking out through the twigs of 

 the screen, I saw one of those birds with its easy flight play- 

 ing round the great Gypaetus. They both flew close past us, 

 and immediately disappeared behind a projecting rock ; but 

 in a few moments I again heard the rush of wings, and before 

 I had time to get my gun to my shoulder, the Bearded 



