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 im 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 certam 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 
