LEPTOPTILUS. 263 



clumps. Closer in to the hill we got into a denser and more 

 matted belt of evergreen that surrounded its base, from which the 

 rocks rose abruptl}', towering above and hanging over each 

 other in most fantastic shapes. It was with some difficulty we 

 worked round towards the north side of the bill, as besides the 

 thickness and thorniness of the jungle the ground under foot was 

 spongy and moist to a degree. However at last our guide stopped, 

 and pointing to a sort of rough gap between two of the lower 

 large rocks, said this was the spot to attempt the climb — and a 

 very nasty break-neck looking spot it was, and 1 didn't half like 

 the look of it, all the more because I liad foolishly left my ropes at 

 the camp. However, there was no help for it, and my mouth was 

 watering to see the number of Adjutants wheeling above the 

 hUls, all or most of which most probably had nests somewhere on 

 the top. * * * * 



" There being no time to lose I took of£ my coat, tightened my 

 belt, and taking only my gun, already loaded with a cartridge of 

 No. 1 shot in each barrel, and slung on my back to leave my arms 

 free, I requested my Karen guide to lead on. And lead on he did 

 straight up the face of the rock, clinging on to roots and projecting 

 knobs of rock in a marvellous manner. I did my best to imitate 

 and follow, but had several times to shout to him to wait for me ; 

 and was soaked through with perspiration, and blowing like a 

 broken-winded horse before I got to the first nest, which was 

 placed on the flat surface of a block of rock nearly at the top of 

 the hill. A hasty glance at it showed me four eggs resting on a 

 mass of twigs and sticks with scarcely any depression in the centre, 

 and unlined. Below this was a substructure of larger sticks ; the 

 whole mass, and the rock on which it was, whitened by the 

 droppings of the birds ; the eggs, large white ovals, chalky, stained, 

 and dirtied, like as possible to eggs of the Common Vulture {Pseudo- 

 r/yps hengalensis). Having secured this prize, I looked around 

 and saw that there were no less than eight other nests in sight, 

 and in these I saw eggs. These also I managed to secure, although 

 the way over the rocks was rough and jagged in the extreme, and 

 once I had to swing myself over a low cliff of about fifteen feet 

 by a root. One nest out of the three contained two eggs, the 

 other two one each ; in these the eggs vi'ere fresher and whiter, the 

 nests themselves being similar to the first described. * * * * 



" And now as the sun was sinking rapidly, I had to think about 

 getting down. So stowing three eggs in my pockets and four in 

 my handkerchief, I gave the Karen my gun, which, by the way, I 

 found useless, the Adjutants wheeling about but keeping out of 

 killing range ; however I managed to identify them as Leptoptilus 

 dubius, all of the larger kind, and began the descent. But if the 

 ascent was ticklish, this was simply diabolical. Several times I 

 barked my elbows and knees, and twice or thrice stopped to see 

 whether the eggs were not broken. Never was way so long ; 

 but down I got at last, and miraculously the eggs were safe. 



