INTRODUCTION During the general conference of the Italian Geological Society held in Catanzaro on September 26th, 1889, Meli reported the finding of remnants of a vulture into “peperini” tuffs cropping out at the foothills of “Monti Tuscolani”, nearby the milestone of km XIX of Via Anagnina, SE of Rome (Fig. 1). Quite surprising- ly, feather casts and natural counter-moulds of head, neck, windpipe and feet of the vulture were preserved, along with a number of its bones. Recently, during the reorganization of the palaeonto- logical material stored at the “Leonardo da Vinci” I. I. S. S. (once “Regio Istituto Tecnico”) of Rome, some “peperino” blocks were found (Fig. 2), previously reported in the inventory as containing “palm leaf casts”. These remnants correspond perfectly with those described (but not figured) by Meli (1889, 1892), also considering that the Author taught for some time at the “Regio Istituto Tecnico”. THE EXECUTION OF THE MOULD Meli informs (1892) that he made some casts of this hole, utilizing clay mixed to gelatine for one and rubber for one other. However he groans to do not the exact shape of the beak. Meli thought the hook-tipped beak did not permit to make a complete cast. Therefore he hypothesized to cut this “peperino” block for making a complete cast. Fortunately this block was not cut. To day, generally casts are taken from moulds of sili- cone. Silicones are without doubt the most easily use- able and the most efficient material for moulds, due to their high performances. The technical utilised for making this cast is here described. Before to make the cast, we have cleaned with a vacuum cleaner the hole. Then the surface of this hole was carefully sounded. From this analysis resulted that the hole surface was in good condition of preserva- tion, with several anatomical characters excellently impressed: plumage, eyes, beak and overall the tongue (Fig. 2)! Besides we are able to note that the lower part of the upper beak was still preserved (only a small frag- ment). It explains because Meli (1892) was not able to make a complete cast of the beak. However, for not injuring the cast, the fragment of the beak was mechan- ically and chemically (using HCl at 1% in H 2 0) destroyed, and stored to determine the chemistry of the fossilization process and to determine the isotopic com- position of O and Sr. Besides, for verifying the possible presence of a tunnel between the lower and upper beaks, distilled water was strained into the upper beak: then an eventual passage of water into the lower beak was verified. Then the entire surface was consolidated with mowilith. Later a silicone separator was sprayed. The cast was made simply straining 800 gr of silicone into the hole. Particular attention was necessary to did not produce air bubbles during this phase. After the silicone became hard, it was pulled out from the hole manually. This operation was not easy due to the hook-tipped beak. THE VULTURE The mould (Fig. 3) shows the perfectly preserved head and neck of a vulture. The head, moderately elon- gated, gradually connects to the upper beak; the head and the neck lack plumage, whereas the skin shows sev- eral parallel folds; the eyebrow arch is prominent; the upper beak, oblong, has a sub triangular section; a very Geologica Romana 37 (2003-2004), 131-133 ABSTRACT - Since the late XIX century, Meli described some pieces of peperino, coming from Alban Hills Volcanic District, containing bones and casts of head, feathers and plumages of an Eurasian griffon specimen (Gyps fulvus). We are able to find part of this material (casts) among the collections of the “Leonardo da Vinci” I.I.S.S., Rome. KEY WORDS: Griffon, fossilization, mould, late Pleistocene, Alban Hills. THE EURASIAN GRIFFON, GYPS FULVUS (HABLIZL, 1783) IN THE “PEPERINI” HYDROMAGMATIC DEPOSITS OFTHE ALBAN HILLS (ROME, ITALY): A CASE OF EXCEPTIONAL PRESERVATION Riccardo Manni*, Maria Rita Palombo*°, Danilo M. Palladino* * Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi “La Sapienza” - Roma ° Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria (CNR) - Roma Fig. 1 - Location of the finding site in the Alban Hills Volcanic District.