528 
BIRD-LIFE. 
new comer with the greatest curiosity: the young 
Lammergeir was the first to evince it. It approached 
the Owl, examined it carefully on all sides, and finally 
began to feel with its beak the dark plumage of the 
surly guest. In an instant the Owl, furious at the liberty 
taken, assailed the unsuspecting Lammergeir with its 
claws, and with such effect that the latter retired aghast 
with astonishment. For some time it never took any 
further notice of its assailant. As soon, however, as the 
Eagle Owl began to wake up or move, all eyes were 
turned upon it; and when placed in the evening on the 
same perch alongside of the Lammergeirs, it was sure to 
be teased in some way or another by its neighbours, 
although it always repaid such treatment with double 
interest. The Lammergeir was generally not satisfied 
until the Owl quitted the perch, when it usually blundered 
into the clutches of Bonelli’s Eagle. When these two 
disturbers of the public peace had got “one another 
by the ears,” the utmost peace and quietness reigned 
amongst the remainder of the company, who, one and 
all, formed a circle of inquisitive spectators. 
The Lammergeirs were quite indifferent to red as a 
colour, inasmuch as the scarlet lining of my brother’s 
dressing-gown did not put them out in the least; just as 
little did these birds show any special antipathy towards 
children, such as was observed in a Lammergeir from 
Sardinia. When our two Bearded Vultures were let 
loose in the courtyard, they would often approach a 
child at play, yet never offer to touch it, or even 
vouchsafe it a glance. It was only when interfered' with 
while in the cage that the young one became angry; 
when, however, it made no difference between grown-up 
people or children. 
