14 BEAKDED VULTURE. 



of his "Travels in Egypt, Arabia, Abyssinia, and 

 Nubia." "Upon the highest top of the mountain 

 Lamalmon, while my servants were refreshing themselves 

 from that toilsome rugged ascent, and enjoying the 

 pleasure of a most delightful climate, eating their 

 dinner in the outer air, with several large dishes of 

 boiled goat's flesh before them, this enemy (the Vul- 

 ture, as he turned out to be,) appeared suddenly; 

 he did not stoop rapidly from a height, but came 

 flying slowly along the ground, and sat down close to 

 the meat, within the ring the men had made round 

 it. A great shout, or rather cry of distress, called me 

 to the place. I saw the Vulture stand for a minute, as 

 if to recollect himself, while the servants ran for their 

 lances and shields. I walked up as nearly to him as 

 I had time to do. His attention was fully fixed upon 

 the flesh. I saw him put his foot into the pan, where 

 was a large piece in water, preparing for boiling, but 

 finding the smart which he had not expected, he 

 withdrew it, and forsook the piece which he held. 

 There were two large pieces, a leg and a shoulder, 

 lying upon a wooden platter, and into these he trussed 

 both his claws and carried them off; but I thought 

 he looked wistfully at the large piece which remained 

 in the warm water. Away he went slowly along the 

 ground, as he had come. The face of the clifF over 

 which criminals are thrown took him from our sight. 

 The Mahometans that drove the asses, who had, as we 

 have already observed, in the course of the journey 

 suffered from the hyama, were much alarmed, and 

 assured me of his return." And return he did after 

 a short time, when Bruce shot him. 



M. Crespon also has the following anecdote: — "A 

 living Gypaetos, which I had for some years, was 



