138 THE BIUDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



and even at great heights. Occasionally it inhabits also the plains at con- 

 siderable distances from any mountains^ whither it goes in search of food 



This beautiful Vulture flies with a silent flight, almost without moving 

 its wings, sometimes at a vast elevation, and at others so near to the ground 

 that even the shivering noise of the quills can be heard, which somewhat 

 resembles the sound produced by the telegraph-wires in a slight wind. 



In Mongolia proper this species is not very common, but dwells in great 

 numbers in company with Gyps himalayensis in the wild mountains of Kan-su ; 

 from here it visits daily the adjacent plains of Koko-nor, where it finds plenty 

 of food on account of the frequent deaths of wild and tame animals. 



In Mongolia, and particularly in theTangut district, the Bearded Vulture 

 is very tame, and often sits quite close to one's tent. Repeatedly it flew past 

 us so close that we killed it with shot ; and on one occasion a bird almost 

 carried away a stuffed hare, which was put out at the entrance of our tent 

 to be dried. When we were putting out, in the Kan-su mountains, various 

 things for the attraction of Griffon Vultures, the present species always came 

 first, and carried away pieces of flesh &c. in its bill and claws to some cliffs 

 in the neighbourhood, where it consumed them. 



The principal food of this species consists of carrion ; and I hardly think 

 that it attacks any living beasts : of this we are convinced from our own obser- 

 vation as well as by the statements of the natives. On one occasion, how- 

 ver, at Koko-nor, a bird made a dash upon my setter, having mistaken it 

 perhaps for a fox ; but when it approached the dog within about ten feet, it 

 suddenly stopped, and commenced to describe circles in the air, and I shot 

 it. I do not know to what I can attribute this peculiar behaviour, unless it 

 was an attempt to obtain prey. It might be only in play, or out of curiosity ; 

 most likely the latter motive prompted it. 



In Kan-su and Koko-nor this Vulture feeds, in company with the 

 Griffons, Kites, and Ravens, upon the dead bodies of the Mongols and 

 Tanguts, which, after death, are usually thrown away in the fields. 



In Ordos and Tsaidam, where the locality is level, these birds assemble 



