THE BEARDED VULTURE. 
521 
de la fuen Santa,” near Murcia, I have seen one fly 
so near to it, and the adjacent buildings, that one 
could have easily killed it with small shot from the 
window. They seem to be just as little afraid of man; 
at least, these birds would fly quite low over us and 
others. It strikes me that not only are the Lammergeir’s 
excursions taken in one direction, hut that they also take 
place at regular intervals. 
The flight of this royal bird is grand, swift, and 
impetuous, accompanied by but little action of the 
wings. By the uninitiated, the Lammergeir, on the 
wing, may easily be mistaken for the Egyptian Vulture, 
and I even have often taken it for the Peregrine ! At a 
great distance, the characteristics by which the Bearded 
Vulture may be distinguished are lost sight of, and 
a Falcon in full flight appears to be before you. This 
illusion is only dispelled when one recalls to mind the 
swift, lofty flight of the Jer Falcon. When once, how¬ 
ever, the flight of the Lammergeir is well impressed 
upon the memory, it can never afterwards be confounded 
with that of any other bird. Thus, a large Eagle would 
appear somewhat heavy by the side of this “ Falcon 
Vulture,” which, regarding it under these particular 
circumstances, it may well be styled; at the same time, I 
will not distinctly assert that an Eagle-is really a clumsier 
bird than the Lammergeir. As regards the rapidity of 
flight, the Bearded Vulture is second to no species of 
Eagle. When alighting, it always selects some elevated 
spot, probably because from such a stand-point it can 
almost instantly, and without much effort, attain a greater 
elevation. At times it sits very erect, though at others 
horizontally, like a Vulture, owing possibly to the length 
of its tail. Its walk is good, though perhaps somewhat 
