Lord Lilford on the Ornithology of Spain. 389 



and made for the Vulture's nest, from which Manuel had killed 

 the female. This nest was situated at the top of one of the 

 tallest pines, and was visible from some distance, with the male 

 bird seated close to it. He allowed us to approach almost to 

 the foot of the tree, and sailed oflF apparently unhurt by a volley 

 of our four barrels. Agapo was soon up to the nest, in which 

 was a young bird of about the size of a Dorking-cock, which 

 made strong demonstrations of hostility on finding himself for 

 the first time in close proximity to the human form divine. 

 Agapo, however, soon overcame his scruples, and lowered him 

 tethered by the legs to the ground, where we received him with 

 every attention. A more unsightly specimen of the great class 

 Aves I never before beheld : he was covered with brownish-grey 

 down, with a bright pink cere and very pale yellow legs and 

 feet ; part of the trachea of a sheep or goat, perfectly hard and 

 dry, completely encircled one leg ; and altogether his appearance 

 presented a combination of the absurd and repulsive almost 

 impossible to describe. The nest was composed of large boughs 

 externally, and was lined with twigs and a few fragments of 

 wool. In the foundation of the nest, which was unusually deep 

 for that of a raptor, a pair of Tree-Creepers [Certhia familiaris) 

 had established their abode, and were rearing a family of five or 

 six young. This species appears to be common in all the 

 wooded parts of the country. The Nuthatch {Sitta casia) is 

 also common in this forest, and I shot two good specimens close 

 to the Vulture's nest. 



A little further on in the forest we found a large nest, on 

 the lower branch of a pine. Manuel crept cautiously up towards 

 it, and shot a fine female Booted Eagle as she dashed off'. He 

 then made a cache with pine-boughs within shot of the nest, and 

 in about half an hour another shot proclaimed to us that the 

 male bird also had fallen. The nest contained two eggs; this 

 appears to be the invariable number laid by this Eagle, which is 

 one of the most common of the raptorial family in this district, 

 arriving about the end of April, and i-emaining in the country 

 till October. One of these eggs is represented on the accom- 

 panying plate (Plate X. fig. 1). The other and more highly- 

 coloured specimen, drawn on the same plate (fig. 2), was 



N. S. VOL. II. 2 D 



