GTl'S. 201 



On the 25th February, I went out and saw that this year there 

 were two nests on the ledge. I then, on the 28th b'ebruary, got 

 long ropes reaching from the top of the precipice to the bottom, and 

 with the aid of a long bamboo, with a bag at the end, we fished the 

 eggs out of the nests ; a man having been pulled up from below for 

 that purpose. There was only one egg in each nest." Major 

 Cock found the birds breeding earlier in 1869 than in the previous 

 year. On the 20th February he found four nests ; one had an egg, 

 in the other three the old birds were sitting close. Next day, 

 taking ropes and men, he visited the nests. In No. 1, the egg 

 had hatched off ; No. 2 contained a young one of some five or six 

 days old ; and No. 4, one fully a week old. No. 3 alone contained 

 an egg, and that even would have hatched off probably in another 

 day, and contained a live fully-formed chick. 



Later, Major Cock sent me the following further note on the 

 nidification of this species: — "I find that the nests of this bird 

 vary much in their character, some being large masses of sticks, 

 others only a few roots and grass ; and, again, the egg is some- 

 times laid on the dust of some dry, well-sheltered ledge. In all 

 eases there is a shelter for the young by some overhanging ledge. 

 The nests are occasionally close to each other, but very seldom ; 

 yet many pairs will be found breeding in one nullah on the steep 

 precipices on either side. The old bird sits very close indeed ; on 

 one occasion it was not till I put out my foot towards the old 

 bird that she got off her egg, and then she did not take wing, but 

 only moved some three yards further up, and on my turning round 

 to go back, she immediately returned and sat on the spot where her 

 egg had been placed. I fancy that this bird is the most powerful 

 of all the Vultures. A nest that I was watching, belonging to 

 Gypaetus harbatus, was taken possession of by a pair of G. hima- 

 layensis ; they commenced throwing out the wool that had been 

 placed in the nest, and for some days one Vulture at least might 

 always be seen on the nest, and occasionally both. I often saw 

 the Lammergeyers try and effect a lodgment on the nest, but the 

 Vulture on sentry had only to come to the front to drive the 

 Lannnergeyer off. This pair of birds were both young birds. I 

 have observed the old and young birds pairing together. In one 

 case, the female was quite a young bird with the stripey brown 

 breast, while the male was the palest of his tribe. The variation 

 in the colour of this bird is considerable, and I do not think they 

 attain their natural pale colour till they are four or five years old. 

 I have not noticed that the coloration of their eggs is influenced 

 in anywise by the age of the parent, as a particularly large grey 

 pair laid a \ery small egg with the faintest of rusty spots at the 

 larger end. The old and young birds just mentioned laid a large 

 white egg." 



The bird lays a single egg ; as indeed all true Vultures here 

 iuvarii).bly seem to do. 



The eggs of this species are larger than those of any of our 

 other Indian Vultures. 



