440 
THE LIVING WORLD. 
The condor would seem to establish the fact that in spite of its seeming 
provision for quickness of scent, it resembles the greyhound in hunting by 
sight. Repeated experiments have been made by offering the condor favorite 
articles of food concealed merely by a paper wrapping, and it uniformly hap¬ 
pened that he remained wholly indifferent, while if his eye was allowed to fall 
upon food otherwise wrapped up, he would at once tear to pieces the wrappings 
and feast upon the bonue-boucke which these concealed. Sixteen thousand feet 
above the earth is no uncommon altitude for the condor , who seems to believe 
in pure air and free exercise, even though his natural instincts make him fond 
of the most “ gamey ” food, and lead him always to gorge, even though, like 
Launcelot Gobbo, he does not “ rend 
apparel out.” 
The Bearded Vulture, Socia¬ 
ble Vulture, or Lammergeyer 
(Gypcztusbarbatus) , is supreme on 
the Alps,' the Pyrenees, and the 
Indian Himalayas. It is magnifi¬ 
cent in size, and terrible in appear¬ 
ance, but ordinarily 
is harmless and sub¬ 
sists upon carrion. 
If, however, it be 
pushed by hunger, it 
will successfully at¬ 
tack lambs, hares, 
mountain goats, and 
chamois; when still 
more desperate it will 
carry off small chil¬ 
dren, and in extreme 
cases has been known 
to enter into contests 
with the mountain 
hunters. Its method 
of capturing _ the condor. 
goat and chamois is 
ingenious, for it will suddenly rush upon them and push them over the 
brink of the precipice. It has learned how to enjoy even the tortoise, for 
having seized one in its talons it will fly to a great height and break 
the shell by dashing it down upon the rocks. In flying around the 
cliffs the bearded vulture keeps at a uniform level and within the shadow. 
It builds its nest high up on the cliff and, like the more destructive 
birds, lays but a single egg, so that by the accidental destruction of the eggs, 
and by the usual infant mortality there is an equivalent for what has been 
called the Malthusian doctrine. An African traveller tells of the loss of part 
of his dinner by the open and fearless appropriation of it by a bearded vulture 
which manifested the greatest contempt for the attempted protests of the ser¬ 
vants. It has given rise to many a thrilling adventure, and is supposed by 
many to have been the Roc which carried Sinbad, the sailor, to the Valley of 
