Lord Lilford on the Ornitholoyy of Spain. 377 



XXX. — Notes on the Ornithology of Spain. 

 By Lord Lilford, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. 



(Plate X.) 

 [Concluded from p. 187.] 

 We remained at Araujuez till May 27th ; but dm-ing the 

 latter part of our-stay I was unfortunately prevented by rheu- 

 matic gout from taking a very active part in collecting. Manuel, 

 however, was indefatigable, and I was occasionally able to drive 

 out and take some small share in his proceedings. In the 

 neighbourhood of Las Ynfantas, a guard-station and horse- 

 breeding establishment about four miles fi'om Aranjuez in the 

 direction of Toledo, we found a good many interesting birds. 

 The country about this spot consists of low hills totally unculti- 

 vated, with here and there large flat or slightly undulating ex- 

 panses, the whole covered with gum-cistus, rosemary, lavender, 

 Spanish broom, several species of thyme, and many other low- 

 growing shrubs, with an infinite variety of wild flowers. The 

 railway runs parallel to the road from Aranjuez to Toledo, and 

 separates the country just described from the marshy Soto on 

 the banks of the Tagus, this Soto being in some parts under 

 cultivation, and in others thickly wooded with common and 

 white poplars, planes, oaks, willows, tamarisks, and so forth. 

 The avenue along the road above mentioned is perhaps one of 

 the finest in the world, and affords a congenial home to many 

 species of birds. 



On May 9th I rode out to Las Ynfantas, where Manuel was 

 established, and found that he had shot several Rock- Sparrows 

 {Petronia stulta), which were breeding about the guard-house, 

 and in the woodwork of an old aviary now empty, but formerly 

 tenanted by Peafowls and Pheasants. On our way I observed 

 a beautiful Hobby {Hypotnorchis subhuteo), but could not get a 

 shot at him ; I shot a few Bee-eaters and a brilliantly-coloured 

 Common Cuckoo. We were prevented by heavy showers from 

 extending our researches to any great distance from the station ; 

 but we managed to bag a Little Bustard [Otis tetrax), four 

 Spotted Cuckoos, several couples of Quails, two good specimens 

 of the Sardinian Starling {Sturnus unicolui'), and the only 



