330 FALCONIDjE. 



Length about 4 feet ; tail 22 inches ; wing 32 ; tarsus 4 ; bill 

 from gape to point 4 (all these are average measurements, and 

 there is much variation). 



Distribution. Mountainous parts of Southern Europe, Northern 

 Africa, Western and Central Asia. This bird is common in 

 Persia and Afghanistan, in the Khirthar range of Sind, the 

 Suliman and Salt ranges of the Punjab, and throughout the 

 Himalayas, as far east as Sikhim at all events, but not in forest. 



Habits, $c. The Bearded Vulture keeps to rocky hills and 

 mountains, and is usually seen beating regularly over precipices 

 and slopes with a steady sailing flight very like that of a 

 Vulture. It occasionally soars also, and may be recognized at a 

 great elevation by its pointed wings and long wedge-shaped tail. 

 The stories, chiefly Alpine, of its carrying off lambs (whence its 

 name of " Lammergeyer" or Lamb Vulture) and even children, and 

 pushing goats and other animals over precipices, are now generally 

 discredited. It is somewhat doubtful whether this great bird ever 

 attacks living prey, its food consisting chiefly of bones and offal. 

 It but rarely descends on a carcase ; but Hume found one feeding 

 on human ordure, like Neophron, to which it has a great resem- 

 blance in its gait when walking, and in its appearance on the 

 wing. The Bearded Eagle has been known from, antiquity for its 

 habit of carrying up large bones and letting them fall from a height 

 in order to break them, and it is said in the Levant to treat 

 tortoises in the same manner ; hence is supposed to have arisen 

 the story of the death of .^Eschylus. This bird breeds on rocky 

 precipices in the Himalayas and elsewhere from November to 

 March, and lays generally two eggs, varying much in markings, 

 but often richly coloured, and measuring about 3'24 by 2-66. The 

 nest is a great pile of sticks, mixed with wool or hair or frequently 

 old rags. 



Subfamily FALCONING. 



As already pointed out, this subfamily contains the bulk of the 

 Accipitrine birds. The following key to Indian Genera is not so 

 satisfactory as could be wished, but many of the most important 

 generic characters are not easily expressed in a few words. 



Key to the Genera. 



A. Bill without any pointed tooth on upper 

 mandible opposite end of lower mandible ; 

 a festoon commonly present farther back. 

 a. Lores with bristles or feathers termi- 

 nating in bristles. 

 a'. Tarsus feathered throughout : size 



^mostly large. (Eayles.} 

 a". Claws much curved, hind claw 

 longer than inner. 



