1 6 BIRD-HUNTING 



seen one at such close quarters except when I have 

 been well hidden near to a carcase and perfectly 

 invisible. 



We had half hoped to find them nesting in the 

 tajo, the precipitous height on the edge of which is 

 perched the ancient town of Ronda, in such a fashion 

 that some of the houses actually overhang the per- 

 pendicular cliff. From the back windows of those 

 houses there must be a clear fall of at least 500 

 feet. 



Standing on the picturesque bridge which spans the 

 ravine at the end of the town we could see, circling 

 and wheeling far below, numbers of Lesser Kestrels, 

 Crag Martins, and Pallid Swifts ; but there was no 

 evidence of any nesting colony of Griffons ; nor, 

 though we made inquiries, did we find anybody who 

 knew anything about them. We did indeed meet 

 one ancient cazador, sun-dried and lean, who 

 professed that he could take us to a nest ; so we 

 engaged him on the chance of his being able to 

 make good his word, though without any great 

 expectation of success. We arranged for him to 

 meet us on the morrow provided with a sheep's 

 head, intended to be used as a bait for the automatic 

 electric camera. 



Our friend was possibly a good sportsman in 

 his time, but that must have been some years ago. 

 He was a nice old fellow, and we took rather a 



