156 VULTUKID.E. 



cork-trees on the side of a hill facing west. An intelligent 

 cabrero told us this was their usual habit. 



I never in the spring saw any Neophrons in the dark immature 

 plumage, so we may infer that in a wild state they get the adult 

 white dress, or nearly so, within eight months from their birth ; 

 but in captivity I have known them to take three years to assume 

 the white plumage. 



Adults. Whitish, primaries black ; fore part of head and neck bare of 

 feathers and yellow. 



Young. Dark brown ; front of head and neck dirty grey. Length 25 

 inches. 



178. Gypaetus barbatus (Linnaeus) . The Bearded Vulture 

 or Lammergeyer. 



Spanish. Quebrantahuesos. 



This Vulture is without doubt found on the mountains on the 

 Moorish side of the Straits, as it is recorded from the Atlas 

 ranges ; but we did not notice any near Apes' Hill. 



On the Spanish side the Bearded Vulture is well known in 

 the sierras and used to nest within a short distance of Algeciraz. 



Verner says that " Twenty years ago these birds nested 

 regularly not far from Gibraltar, but owing to persecution have of 

 late years disappeared or retired to less-frequented sierras. The 

 four nests I have climbed to were all in caverns on isolated crags 

 on the rocky sides of the hills, and they appear to prefer such 

 situations to the great cliffs frequented by Griffons. The young 

 do not leave the eyry till June, as the late Crown Prince Rudolf 

 of Austria had on board his yacht a young bird about three- 

 fourths fledged, taken by him about the 18th of May near 

 Granada. 



" The calreros or goatherds near Tarifa hold these Vultures, 

 right or wrong, responsible for any missing kids ; and owing to 

 this idea, and to their habit of nesting in crags which can often 

 be approached without difficulty to within easy gun-shot, added 



