218 BIRD-HUNTING 



head too big to pass through the hole. Luckily the 

 shells were very big and hard, and I don't think we 

 broke many — but the holes were necessarily rather 

 large for some particular collectors. It was no good 

 taking too many of these eggs, plentiful as they 

 were, for we had to carry them back on horseback 

 a long day's journey over a rough, roadless country. 

 We therefore contented ourselves with as many as 

 could be packed into my shoulder-bag, and I carried 

 them back myself. 



I should have much liked to spend a week ex- 

 ploring the pine-forests. No doubt the Sea Eagles, 

 observed daily harrying the Coots and Gulls, must 

 breed there, and perhaps other raptores, of which 

 we saw a few (Buzzards, &c), but we were unable 



to delay. It was positively B s last sporting 



experience in Albania, as he had been transferred to 

 the United States. The steamer was due in less 

 than a week, and his things were still unpacked, so 

 we were obliged reluctantly to turn our backs on the 

 Pelicans and all the possibilities of the forest. 



But before we left the fishermen were set to work 

 collecting pine-cones. The kernels of the seeds 

 embedded in the big cones are much used for food, 

 and are always included in the little dishes served 

 before a Turkish dinner. It may be noted that 

 1 kernels of the pine,' with pistachios, walnuts, hazel- 

 nuts, and almonds, are mentioned in the tales of the 



