3o6 THE BOOK OF BIRDS 



and noblest bird of prey that inhabits the mountains of 

 Europe." 



Fierce robber though he might be, it is pitiable to 

 think of both this giant bird and his mate falling to the 

 murderous rifle. (The Prince's regret for the disappearance 

 of rare European birds never seems to have led him to 

 spare them, when he had the chance of a shot !) 



When the old birds had been killed, a peasant was paid 

 to climb down by means of a rope-ladder and fetch the 

 baby Vulture. This was both a dangerous and a difficult 

 business, for even when the nest-hole was reached the 

 young bird scuttled back into its cave. But at last the 

 Spaniard managed to capture it and put it in his basket. 

 The " baby " throve well in captivity. " It grew remark- 

 ably fast, kept in capital health, ate great quantities of 

 flesh, and in time lost its fear of man. It even got used to 

 the dogs, of which at first it had the greatest dread." 



The early nesting of the Lammergeier is one of the few 

 things which help to preserve this rare bird from becoming 

 extinct in Europe. " A very early breeder," says Mr. Lodge, 

 " its nesting-places are extremely diflicult to reach before 

 the young are hatched, on account of the deep snow which 

 prevails in the early part of the year." 



The Lammergeier is a striking-looking bird, with its 

 varied plumage, — yellow-brown, hoary grey, black, and 

 bright yellow, — its fierce head with the black stripe above 

 each eye, its " beard," which is quite conspicuous even at a 

 distance, and its long 230werful wings, which often measure 

 ten feet across from tip to tip. 



It is said to resemble the Falcon in the way it perches 

 and sits motionless on rocky pinnacles, or shoots swiftly 

 along, skimming over the ground, or soars up into the air 

 playing and tumbling about. 



