aromatic shrubs at their bases. The young Griffons 

 remain in their nests till June, and, although I am well 

 aware that these birds can live without suffering from a 

 want of food for almost incredible periods, it is a con- 

 stant subject of wonder how the great numbers that 

 inhabit Southern Spain can possibly find the means of 

 subsistence. To those who have never visited a country 

 where Vultures are virtually the only efficient inspectors 

 of nuisances and scavengers, it will perhaps be difficult 

 to believe that in Andalucia I have very frequently seen 

 more of this species at the same time than I could pos- 

 sibly count, soaring in concentric circles, tier above tier, 

 if I may use the term, over the carcases of horned cattle 

 and horses. A more disgusting sight than some twenty 

 or more of these huge birds tearing at and quarrelling 

 over the remains of a semi-putrid beast can hardly be 

 imagined, but on wing, and high in air, the Griffon is 

 a magnificent bird as he sails for hours at a time with 

 hardly any perceptible motion in the splendid deep blue 

 of an Andalucian summer sky. I have called the eggs 

 of this species " white," but some specimens show 

 blotches and spots of iron-rust colour. I am not aware 

 that the Griffon in Europe ever nests in trees, or, 

 indeed, in any other locality than cliffs ; but, although 

 the nests are generally very difficult of access, this is by 

 no means invariably the case. The subject of the Plate 

 was taken from an isolated nest near Irun in May 1867 

 by a shepherd-lad who clambered up to it from below, 

 and to his and our own astonishment met us prepared 

 for the capture of the nestling with ropes and a hired 

 climber at the top of the cliff. We had started from 



