140 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



succession on observing the action of the former ; and almost in no time tens 

 of these large birds come together and commence to feed upon the carrion 

 with great noise and much fighting. Having eaten as much as they possibly 

 can, they fly away, or oftener sit close to the prey and observe their com- 

 panions feeding upon the same. Brehm describes a similar scene with 

 regard to the African Vultures ; but we several times had occasion during 

 our travels to witness it ourselves. The greediness of this species is so 

 enormous that, when feeding, they do not take any notice of the sportsman, 

 and even when shot at they return in a very short time. 



It is remarkable that the Griff^on, when dashing dow^n from such a 

 great height, and with tremendous speed, can during this time discern what 

 is taking place below. I had the opportunity of witnessing an instance of 

 this. Once our camel, when feeding, lay down on the ground on its side, 

 and w^as reclining for some time in the same position, when high up in the 

 clouds we all at once observed a black spot moving with great rapidity 

 towards the ground. We soon knew it to be a Grifi^on. To our great 

 surprise the bird expanded its wdngs when it was within about three hundred 

 yards fom the ground, and flew away. Then looking at the camel we found 

 that it had risen ; so that the Vulture, which had mistaken the camel for a 

 carcass, had noticed its mistake even at the great speed with which it was 

 descending. 



For nesting, this species, like the next, chooses large inaccessible rocks ; 

 and here, in a cavity, these birds build their nests of thick sticks and dry 

 branches of large size ; such a nest serves them for a good many years. In 

 the Suma-had mountains we observed a large-sized young bird at the end of 

 May. 



The name given to it by the Mongols is '^Tasso ;" and it is looked upon 

 as a sacred bird. Some people, however, kill the present as well as the pre- 

 ceding species for the sake of their tails, which are used for making arrows ; 

 and in the town of Dolon-nor w^e saw such tails in the shops, put out for sale 

 by the Chinese. 



