Bird Life in the Spanish Marismas 



28.> 



the (listaiic'c, over what ap})eared to l)e a hirge slieet of water ; 

 aiul wc soon foiiiul ourselves staiidino- on tlie shores of a 

 ^ ast iiihuul hike, dixided at the lioi'izon from tlie sk\' by h)\v 

 pine-trees. 'I'lie nearer sliores were aH\ e with Hocks of bii'ds 

 busily feedino-, the Dunlins esj^eeially almost re^j^ardless of our 

 presence as they ran about over the nuid and ex])l()red all the 



Little Egrets (Ardca gcii-clia) in JN'esting Colony. 



little creeks. CTodwits and lar(>er birds waded in the farther 

 shallows, M'liile (tuUs and Terns flew overhead ; but the chief 

 interest was centred on the Flamingoes, which stood in Ion"' 

 lines along the farther shore exactly like regiments of soldiers. 

 Tiien it was realised that we were really in the marisma 

 which we had come to see, and that all we had read and heard 

 about the wealth of bird life was more than true. 



