240 



THE LAMJIEKGEVEK. BIRDS. THE COXDOK. 



offal of the beasts slaughtered, or on the carcasses of the 

 camels which die by the way. In India the bird seems 

 to have exactly the same habits ; and Colonel Sykes 

 states that they are always found in cantonments and 

 camps. They pass nearly the whole day on the wing, 

 sailing round in circles. Then 1 efficiency as scavengers 

 is also recognized hi India. 



THELAMMEEGEYEE (Gypaetos larlatus} Plate 2, 

 fig. 4 which is also frequently called the Bearded 

 Vulture, is a remarkable species of this family, forming, 

 both in its characters and habits so striking a transi- 

 tion towards the eagles, that it has even been arranged 

 with the latter by some naturalists, whilst others have 

 constituted a distinct family for its reception. As, 

 however, its most important characters are decidedly 

 vulturine, we have preferred placing it at the end of 

 the eastern vultures. 



The principal distinctive characters of the genus 

 Gypaetos, to which the Lammergeyer belongs, consist 

 in the strong, compressed, and greatly-hooked beak, in 

 the presence of a singular beard-like tuft of stiff bristles 

 under the lower mandible, and of a patch of similar 

 bristles, covering the base of the upper mandible on 

 each side, and concealing both the cere and the oval 

 oblique nostrils which are pierced in it. The tarsi are 

 short and clothed with feathers; and the claws are 

 stronger and more curved than in the other vultures. 

 The head and neck are entirely clothed with feathers. 



The Lammergeyer is one of the largest birds of 

 prey, attaining a length of about four feet, and mea- 

 suring nine or ten feet in expanse of whig. Individuals 

 have been described exceeding even these dimensions, 

 and measuring from twelve to fifteen feet from tip to 

 tip of the wings. The plumage of the upper part of 

 the body is of a dull brown colour, mixed with grey; 

 the wings and tail are of a greyish tint; the neck, 

 breast, and belly are whitish, more or less tinged with 

 yellow or orange ; and the head is dirty white, with a 

 black band on each side. The bristles of the beard 

 and face are also black, as are the claws. These are 

 the general characters of the species ; but they are 

 liable to some variation in specimens from different 

 regions, and these have induced several modern ornitho- 

 logists to describe three or four species of these birds. 

 The distinctions of size and colour upon which they 

 rely for the discrimination of these so-called species, 

 are, however, very slight, and may probably be due 

 10 geographical circumstances ; we therefore prefer 

 regarding all the northern Lammergeyers at any rate, 

 as belonging to one species. 



This fine bird inhabitants the mountainous regions 

 of Southern Europe and North Africa, and extends its 

 range in Asia to the Caucasus, the Altai mountains, and 

 the Himalayas. In its carriage and aspect it greatly 

 resembles the eagles, as it does also in its habits; for, 

 unlike the preceding vultures, it evinces no liking for 

 carrion, but, on the contrary, prefers its meat fresh- 

 killed. To satisfy this craving, it is endowed with a 

 far more audacious and warlike disposition than the 

 peaceful birds whose characters we have hitherto been 

 considering, and the weapons with which nature has 

 armed it are also of a far more formidable character. 

 It feeds principally upon quadrupeds, such as rabbits, 



hares, sheep, lambs, and kids, which its powerful beak 

 and talons enable it to overcome easily ; and its Swiss 

 name of Lammergeyer (signifying Lamb- Vulture), suf- 

 ficiently expresses the sense which the Alpine shep- 

 herds entertain of its predilection for the tenderer part 

 of their flocks. It is also said sometimes to attack the 

 chamois, or even man himself; but when attempting 

 any such doubtful enterprise as this, it waits until its 

 intended victim is close to a precipice, and then de- 

 scending upon it with irresistible velocity, sweeps it off 

 into the abyss below. Both in Europe and India 

 stories are current of children being carried off by the 

 Lammergeyer ; but these want confirmation. In the 

 latter country, according to Mr. Hodgson, the habits of 

 the birds approach more nearly to those of the ordinary 

 vultures than appears to be the case in Europe ; and 

 they come in flocks to devour carrion of all sorts, with- 

 out the least regard to the presence of man. The same 

 gentleman tells us that, in the vicinity of Simla and 

 elsewhere on the western hills, the flesh-pots, in which 

 cooking is carried on in the open air, require to be well 

 watched, lest the Bearded vulture steal a share of then- 

 contents ; and Bruce, in his " Travels in Abyssinia," 

 relates a story of this nature which applies either to this 

 or the following species. 



The Bearded vulture builds no nest, but deposits 

 its eggs upon the bare rock ; these are two or three in 

 number, of an oval form with one end rather acute ; 

 then- colour is a bluish-white, covered with smaller and 

 larger spots of reddish-brown and ochreous yellow. 



THE AFEICAN BEAEDED VTJLTUEE (Gypaetos 

 nudipes) appears to merit being regarded as a distinct 

 species, as the lower part of its tarsi is bare of feathers, 

 a character of more importance than a slight diversity 

 of colour. It is found in Abyssinia, and in the more 

 southern parts of Africa. This is probably the bird 

 alluded to by Bruce, which, he says, is called .ZVmer 

 Werk in Ethiopic, and Abou Duchir or Father Long- 

 beard by the Arabs. Bruce gives the following account 

 of the audacity of this bird. While his servants were 

 eating then- dinner hi the open ah- on the top of a high 

 mountain, with several dishes of boiled goats' flesh 

 before them, one of these birds suddenly made his 

 appearance. He did not stoop rapidly from a height, 

 but came flying slowly along the ground, and sat down 

 close to the meat, within the ring the men had r^ade 

 round it. A great shout was raised, when the bird 

 slowly retired ; but he soon came up again, and was 

 shot within a short distance of the party. Dr. Roth 

 says, that the Abyssinian species " smells dreadfully 

 from its mode of living," and " takes a great quantity 

 of water." 



THE CONDOE (Sarcorhamphus GrypTius}-^. 97, 

 page 241. The first of the American vultures to which 

 we shall allude, is one of the most remarkable and cele- 

 brated species of this family. The nostrils hi the Ameri- 

 can vultures are pierced through, as has already been 

 stated, from side to side of the beak. In the Condor 

 and another species belonging to the same genus, they 

 are surmounted in the males by a large fleshy car- 

 uncle, which, hi the former, constitutes a comb some- 

 what resembling that of a cock. The bill in these 

 birds is very strong, and much hooked at the extremity. 



