INTRODUCTION 



In the opening chapter of my Pictures of Bird- 

 Life, written in 1903, I indicated roughly, in the 

 following words, what a splendid field there was for 

 the photographic ornithologist in various parts of 

 Europe : 



' A most interesting expedition could be made now 

 in pursuit of the Eagles and Vultures of Southern 

 Europe. In Spain alone there are still to be found, 

 in the big pine-woods and rugged sierras, five 

 different kinds of Eagles and four kinds of Vultures. 

 Some of these are yearly decreasing in numbers, 

 and in a few more years will be extremely rare. 

 Hungary and the country round the Danube is also 

 particularly rich in raptorial and marsh birds.' 



I had already visited the marismas of the 

 Guadalquivir once, Denmark once, and Holland 

 three times ; and had succeeded in photographing 

 many interesting species at home : for example, the 

 Spoonbill, the Purple Heron, Little Egret, Buff- 

 backed Heron, Glossy Ibis, Black Tern, White 



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