/ found in the neighbourhood of Simla. 541 



Tllie nesting-materials are carried in the beak, and we 

 liavei proved that both birds share in the hibours of 

 incu';bation. 



T^e earliest date on which we have taken eggs is the 

 14tl;A of January _, and the latest the 18th of March. Out of 

 12 specimens we find that 9 were taken in January, 2 in 

 Febnjaary, and 1 in March. 



In I length the eggs vaiied from 3'52" to 4"17", and in 

 breaciith from 2"7" to 2-92'' ; the average of 12 specimens 

 is3-[^l"x2-77". 



As'; observed by Hume, the shape of the e<igs is very 



varia^ble, but the majority of the specimens are '' rather long 



poin |ted ovals. ^' The remainder are broad ovals, slightly 



poirited towards the small end. 



Hume does not notice the fact that some of the ea'ii'S 

 \, . . . . ° 



exhnbit white pimply lumps on their surfaces, generally 



towa rds the large end. 



Tile proportion of marked to unmarked eggs in our 



speciilmens is about ecpial, but the heavily marked eggs are 



mucl i rarer. 



"xuese Vultures do not soil their eggs during iucubation 



like P. bengalensis. 



¥. e have never yet seen an immature bird of this species 



breeding ; all the nests, without a single exception, which 



have come vmder our notice have invariably been tenanted 



by adult birds. 



In all instances the parents were got off their nests 



without any difficulty ; but in one case only the old bird 



refused to budge, and attempted to bite when anyone went 



close to her. She had eventually to be poked off the nest 



Avith a stick. 



These Vultures pair on cliffs, and while in copula make an 



extraordinary hoarse roaring noise, which can be heard from 



a great distance. 



In conclusion, it may be worth mentioning that though 



50 to 70 of these Vultures may affect a particular range of 



cliffs, not more than five to six pairs at the utmost will ever 



be found breeding there. The rest oi the birds are alwavs 



