FROM SPAIN. 477 
of the Vulture and the Stork, but much more suggestive of 
the latter. An old finely coloured male is a smart-looking 
bird, and at first attracts attention; but the observer is soon 
disgusted and wearied, for at every step he sees this lazy 
dirty fellow. 
I found the Egyptian Vulture in the highest of the Spanish 
mountains, in the plains, by the sea-coast, among woods, and 
on the outer houses of the towns. The nests which I saw 
were situated in cliffs, and when circling round its dwelling 
or sailing along the rocks, apparently without effort or the 
slightest movement of its wings, there are moments when, 
thanks to its pointed tail, the shape of its wings, and the 
carriage of its head, it reminds one of the Bearded Vulture. 
The Spaniards are, therefore, not altogether so wrong in giving 
to both birds the same name of “ Quebranta-huésos.” 
I never saw the Egyptian Vulture in the immediate neigh- 
bourhood of Barcelona, and the people of that place were 
quite unacquainted with it. We met with the first at 
Valencia, but from that point found it everywhere throughout 
the country. 
As we ran into the station of the Spanish capital I noticed 
an Egyptian Vulture placidly sitting on a stone and allowing 
our train to pass it. In the Casa de Campo, on the other side 
of the city, I also saw some of these birds close to the houses, 
and in the woods of the Pardo several came to a carcass in a 
few minutes. 
At Murcia I shot a very finely coloured specimen which 
was sitting on a dead horse close to the town. A whole pack 
of half-wild dogs had surrounded this carcass, but a couple of 
Egyptian Vultures and a Raven pushed in among them and 
drove them apart with blows from their beaks. In Cartagena 
I observed these Vultures in a part of the town which has 
lain in ruins since the time of the last civil war. 
