142 THE BIEDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



articles put on the dead body do not frighten these greedy birds, who are 

 usually assisted in devouring the carrion by wolves, which very quickly join the 

 Vultures. Strange to say, a cap hung up close to the body on a pole frightens 

 them away ; and this is the only way of securing the sportsman's booty. 



Looking upon the large number of these birds and the Bearded Vultures 

 w^hich inhabit the Kan-su, it often puzzled me where they can find sufficient 

 food for their subsistence, especially in summer, when the weather is rainy, 

 and in consequence thereof it is impossible to see at great distances ; besides, 

 the Mongols and Tanguts frequently feed on the carrion themselves, espe- 

 cially if it is fat. There are, however, so many wild and tame beasts in the 

 steppes of Koko-nor &c, that these might afford them enough food, although 

 it is very probable that they sometimes fast for a long time. A considerable 

 amount of food is also afforded by the dead bodies of the Mongols and the 

 Tanguts. 



In Northern Tibet the Himalayan Griffon Vultures are much scarcer 

 than the Vultur monachus, which, again, is rarer in Kan-su. 



An old male obtained by us weighed from 25 to 30 pounds, and measures 

 as follows— length 45'', width 103'', wing 3l"-5, tail 15", culmen 3", tarsus 

 4"'4. We did not succeed in obtaining a female specimen ; but we saw many 

 birds on wing w^hich seemed to be considerably larger than our specimen. 

 Of the enormous size of this bird Mr. Severtzoff has already spoken, stating 

 that a specimen from Vernoe has been given to the Moscow Museum, mea- 

 suring in length 4' 7", and lOj" in width. 



The Mongols speak of this species as ''Zaigan Tasso,'' i. e. White Tasso; 

 and the Tanguts call it " Gutincar :" with both of them it is sacred. 



4. Archibuteo HEMiLASius, Temm. & Schleg. 



ArcUbuteo hemilasius, Temm. & ScUeg. Eaun. Japon. pi. vii. 



The occurrence of this species in Mongoha is strictly dependent on the 

 distribution of Lagomys agotono, which latter forms its principal food. In the 



