Lord Lilford on the Ornithology of Spain. 187 



thickets at one end of the lake we found great numbers of the 

 Melodious AVillovv-Warbler, Hupolais salicaria, of which species 

 we obtained many specimens ; we also shot a Little Bittern, and 

 saw many White- and Grey-headed Wagtails, Motacilla alba and 

 Budytes flava, Sandpipers, Actitis hypoleuca, and several pairs 

 of Eared Grebes, Pudiceps nigricollis. Of this last species we 

 obtained two nests with their full complement of eggs, but we 

 did not succeed in shooting one of the parent birds. A few 

 Wild Ducks, Anas boschas, were breeding in the rushes at the 

 lower end of the pool ; and in a range of low cliffs at a short 

 distance wc descried several nests of the Common Kestrel, and 

 one of the Raven, Corvus corax ; but we had no ropes with us, 

 and without them a siege was impossible. The Raven is very 

 common throughout Spain : in a nest of this bird which we 

 took was one egg of Oxylophtis glandarius, with five of the pro- 

 prietor's. This nest was in a high pine tree about a mile from 

 Aranjuez. In the afternoon of the day above mentioned, I rode 

 out to a spot on the other side of the village to which the car- 

 casses of the horses which die in the royal haras are dragged and 

 left to rot in the sun; here we found a great concourse of 

 carrion-eating birds, consisting of perhaps some twenty or more 

 of the Cinereous Vulture, Vultur monachus, a pair or two of 

 Griffons, Gijps fidvus, a sprinkling of Egyptian Vultures, many 

 Kites of both species, and a great number of Ravens. I made 

 a long detour to attempt stalking one of the first- named birds, 

 which I was anxious to obtain, but in vain ; the ground would 

 not admit of concealment, and the Ravens acting as sentries 

 effectually prevented my success. I here observed, amongst 

 many tracks of cats, foxes, badgers, polecats, and other pre- 

 datory animals, the footprints of the Genet [Viverra genetta), 

 which is tolerably abundant in Central and Southern Spain. 



Here I must leave off for the present, hoping to have another 

 opportunity of recording my further doings in Spanish orni- 

 thology, and expressing my wish that some far more competent 

 naturalist than myself may go out and prosper in Spain. Would 

 that I could accompany him ! 



March 1866. 



[To be continued.] 



