Bird Life in the Spanish Marismas 811) 



slififhter. In uiiv siiuill hollow in the sim-cnicked surface 

 the birds would make a neat linino- with a few stalks, 

 and on these the c<)f>s would be laid. In one we found 

 five ea'ii's, but four was the usual iuuu})er. Tlie nests were 

 always in small colonies, not necessarily close together, but 

 scattered over a limited area of ground. 



The birds are tame and fairly easy to approach. AVhen 

 mounted, you can ride close to them without their showing 

 any alarm ; but they do not allow a man on foot to take 

 such liberties. However, if you remain quiet, they do not 

 mind coming quite close. 



A male bird dissected by me had in its stomach some 

 green caterpillars. Tlie measurements of this bird coincide 

 exactly with those recorded by Gilbert AVIiite of one shot 

 near Selborne :^ — 



Total length, l)eak to tail 

 Beak .... 



Bare part of tibia . 

 1 arsus .... 



Frequently, wlien exploring this waste of waters, we 

 would come on a colony of AVhiskered and Black Terns, 

 nesting in company together. Overhead the birds woidd 

 gyrate, witli the harsli scolding remonstrance usual with all 

 the Terns under similar circumstances. Seen tluis from 

 below, the Whiskered Tern appears of a peculiar leaden 



tmge. 



Their nests are very slight, mere iioatino- rafts of Q'reen 



