244 Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine. 



especially a mountain-bird, ranging from the Pyrenees and West- 

 ern Atlas to the Himalayahs, and in all its habitats a constant 

 resident, it would seem to be the conformation of the mountains 

 rather than the temperature which attracts it, for it may be 

 found at all times of the year in the tremendous gorges which 

 flank the deep and sultry Jordan valley. Unlike the Vultures, 

 it is always a solitary bird; neither gregarious, as Gyps fulvus, 

 nor sociable, as Neophron per cnopterus. Yet, though never con- 

 sorting with its own species, it has no repugnance to the neigh- 

 bourhood of others ; and as on the Atlas, so in Palestine its breed- 

 ing-places are generally in the same cliffs with the colonies of 

 Griffons. It may occasionally be seen in all parts of Palestine. 

 I first noticed it on the top of Gerizim, sailing up the vale of 

 Shechem. During the month of January we occasionally de- 

 scried it overhead at the edge of the deep gorges which open on 

 to the Dead Sea ; in February it passed over the desert plains of 

 Beersheba ; and in March we had the pleasure of starting a noble 

 Gypaete from its feast, only a few yards from us, on the vast open 

 plain which extends from the forests of Gilead to the Hauran. 

 We only ascertained three breeding-places, in none of which 

 were we successful in obtaining its eggs ; the first iu the ravine 

 of the Jabbok under Mount Gilead, and the other in the Wady 

 Hamam, or Pigeon ravine, and the Wady Leimun, both opening 

 on the plain of Gennesaret. In both of these latter localities 

 were colonies of hundreds of Griffons. Dr. Jerdon states that in 

 India it lays its eggs in April and May ; but we found it in the 

 Atlas sitting in February, and in Palestine it had hatched its 

 young in March. Those birds which we had an opportunity of 

 examining more closely had the ochreous colour on the lower 

 parts developed with remarkable intensity. I do not know a 

 greater treat for the ornithologist than to watch a pair of Lam- 

 inergeyerSjin theWady Hamam in the early morning, commencing 

 their matutinal exercise by sailing close to the ground down the 

 ravine, beneath cliffs 2000 feet high, and then gently steering by 

 their tails, without any apparent motion of the outspread wings, 

 one after the other across the mouth of the gorge, and recoii- 

 noitering leisurely as they retraced their flight on the opposite 

 side at a little higher elevation. Soon they would beat down 



