16 BEARDED VULTURE. 



but it has now greatly diminished in numbers, building 

 permanent nests only in the mountains of Tessin, the 

 Grisons, the Vallais, Uri, and Berne. On the other 

 mountains its appearance is rare, and in most cases 

 solitary. The last seen in Unterwalden was shot on the 

 Abzeller mountain, on September 24th., 1851, by 

 Michael Sigrist. An old Vulture was for many years 

 observed to perch regularly, at certain seasons, on a 

 huge block of stone in Grindelwald Glacier. The 

 position was quite inaccessible, and beyond the reach 

 of rifle-shot. 



The internal structure of the Lammergeyer is very 

 peculiar: the muscles of the breast are of extraordi- 

 nary size and strength; the long bones, hollow as with 

 other birds, become filled by the action of the lungs 

 with air, warmer, and therefore specifically lighter than 

 the surrounding atmosphere, and the bird is thus enabled 

 to soar high into the air without any great exertion. 

 The vigour of its digestive organs is most curious. 

 The gastric juice in a short time decomposes the largest 

 bones and the horny hoofs of cows or calves, continuing 

 its operations even after the death of the animal. 



The contents of the stomachs of Lammergeyers which 

 have been opened after death, have created no little 

 astonishment, and surpass all that has ever been related 

 of the voracity and digestive powers of smaller European 

 birds of prey. One contained five bullock's ribs, two 

 inches thick, and from six to nine inches long, a lump 

 of hair, and the leg of a young goat, from the knee 

 to the foot. In one killed by the celebrated naturalist 

 Dr. Schinz, the stomach contained the hip bone of a 

 cow, the skin and fore quarters of a chamois, many 

 smaller bones, some hair, and a heathcock's claws. 



Its habits when at liberty have not been sufficiently 



