\2* S ej 'J ** ec M t ^ GRIFFON TDLTURE. 



Only one example of this grand addition to British ornithology 

 has as yet occurred. A single specimen an adult bird, in a 

 perfectly wild state, was captured by a youth, the latter end 

 of the year 1843, on the rocks near Cork harbour, and was 

 purchased for half-a-crown for Lord Shannon, by whom, when 

 it died, it was presented to the collection of the Dublin 

 Zoological Society. 



This species, also, like the rest of its kindred, possesses great 

 powers of flight, though it is not rapid on the wing, and often 

 soars upwards, almost always spirally, until it has become 

 invisible to the human eye: it descends in the same manner 

 in circles. 



It builds its nest, as might be expected, on the highest and 

 most inaccessible rocks, or sometimes on lofty trees, but in the 

 winter it frequents more the lower and open grounds. The 

 structure is three or four feet in diameter. The eggs, two or 

 three in number, rather larger than those of a goose, of a 

 dingy white colour, sometimes marked with a few pale red 

 blots. 



The length of this bird is about three feet eight inches. The 

 bill is by some described as bluish lead-colour, by others, as 

 yellowish white or horn-colour; the cere, bluish black; iris, 

 reddish orange. The head and neck are covered with down, 

 which, as well as the ruff round the neck, and which is of 

 the same material, is dull white; the eyes are margined with 

 black. The upper and middle part of the breast also dull 

 white, mixed with light brown, the lower part reddish yellow 

 brown. The expansion of the wings eight feet. The back, 

 and the wing coverts, light yellowish brown, the shafts light 

 brown; the larger under wing coverts, dull white; lesser under 

 wing coverts, light brown; primaries, dark brown; the tail 

 the same colour. The legs and toes lead-colour, the former 

 reticulated, the latter each with six large scales in front; the 

 claws black. 



The male and female are scarcely distinguishable, except in 

 size the former being smaller than the latter; as is the case 

 generally with birds of prey; why, it is extremely difficult to 

 say. Some reasons which have been advanced must at once 

 be pronounced unsatisfactory. 



Immature birds differ very considerably in plumage from 

 those which have attained to the adult state: the former are 

 much spotted all over, and the down on the head and neck is 

 conspicuously marked with brown. 



