THE BEARDED VULTURE. 
527 
In a little while we procured some fresh companions 
for the Lammergeirs, the first of which was a Jackdaw, 
of whose impudence and subsequent fate I have previously 
informed my readers, though to save referring back I will 
repeat that owing to the little notice taken of him by 
the Lammergeirs he played the part of master of the 
house, treating his noble companions with the greatest 
insolence, without, however, raising their anger in any 
way. Later, the company was increased by the arrival of 
a Golden Eagle and three young Egyptian Vultures : these 
birds also lived in perfect harmony with the Lammergeirs; 
the young one even allowed one of the young Neophrons 
to climb up on its back while it lay basking in the sand. The 
wonderful concord, however, which had hitherto reigned 
amongst these creatures was for ever broken when my 
brother introduced the specimen of Bonelli’s Eagle—also 
previously mentioned—amongst this varied company. 
This bird—the very quintessence of wildness, savagery, 
and spitefulness—tore about the cage as though crazy, 
strangled our comical friend the Jackdaw, drove the 
Egyptian Vultures into the darkest corner, and as soon as 
the inquisitive, good-natured Lammergeir approached 
him, he sprang on his back and assailed him with the 
utmost vehemence. Such ill-treatment upset the patience 
of the Lammergeirs, and induced them to return the 
insult with violent blows of their beaks: in the end, 
however, they always kept out of reach of their quarrel¬ 
some neighbour. Some time after this violent brute 
found a worthy companion in the person of an Eagle Owl. 
This latter, not liking the glare of day, immediately 
retired into a dark corner, and appeared to be very ill at 
ease in the company of this assembly of diurnal birds of 
prey. All the inhabitants of the cage had regarded the 
