that time they are tended and instructed with great affection by both father and mother, whose united efforts are often scarcely sufficient to satisfy the cravings of their ravenous offspring. THE BEARDED VULTURE. To the BEARDED VULTURE (_Gypaëtos barbatus_) is assigned the first place upon our list, as being the noblest member of the group with which we are acquainted, bearing in some respects a resemblance to the Falcons. The body of this species is elongate, but powerful; its head is large, long, flat in front, and arching upwards towards the back; its neck is short; the wings, in which the third quill is much longer than the first, are of great size and pointed; the long tail is graduated or conical, and composed of twelve feathers; the beak is large; the upper mandible, which is saddle-shaped at its base, rises somewhat towards its tip, and terminates in an abrupt hook; its margins are not incised, and the lower mandible is straight. The feet are short, and by no means powerful; the toes of moderate length, and very weak; the talons strong, and but slightly bent and blunt. The plumage is rich, and composed of large feathers; the origin of the beak is surrounded by bristles, that grow over the cere and beneath the lower mandible, thus forming a kind of beard. The head is covered with small bristle-like feathers, whilst those upon the neck are of large size; the rest of the plumage lies compact and close, except upon the legs, the hose being also formed of large feathers, which extend as far as the toes. In old birds the upper part of the body is black or blackish brown, each of the individual quills being tipped and streaked upon the shaft with white; the under side is reddish yellow or white, spotted here and there with black; greyish brown predominates in the coloration of the young. The skeleton of this bird is remarkably massive. The back-bone contains thirteen vertebræ in the neck, eight in the back, and seven in the tail; the breast-bone is long and broad, and its keel very deep. [Illustration: THE BEARDED VULTURE, OR LÄMMERGEIER (_Gypaëtos barbatus_).]