on Spanish Ornithology. 89 



rate nests rose some 6 or 8 inches above the water-level^ and 

 were about 15 inches across. The water was about 12 or 

 15 inches deep. None of these nests as yet contained eggs ; 

 and though I returned to the ^'pajarera '^ on the latest day 

 I was in its neighbourhood (May 11th), they still remained 

 empty. On both occasions many hundreds of Flamingoes 

 were sitting on the nests, and on the 11th we had a good 

 view of them at close quarters. Linked arm and arm with 

 Felipe, and crouching low on the water, to look as little 

 human as possible, we approached within some 70 yards 

 before their sentries showed signs of alarm, and at that 

 distance with the glass observed the sitting birds as distinctly 

 as one need wish. Their long red legs doubled under their 

 bodies, the knees projecting as far as or beyond the tail, 

 and their graceful necks neatly curled away among their 

 back-feathers, like a sitting Swan, with their heads resting 

 on their breasts — all these points were unmistakable. (See 

 Plate IV.) Indeed it is hardly necessary to point out that in 

 the great majority of cases (the nests being hardly raised 

 above the level of the flat mud) no other position was possible. 



Still none of the crowded nests contained a single egg ! 

 How strange it is that the Flamingo, a bird which never 

 seems happy unless up to his knees in water, should so long 

 delay the period o£ incubation ; for before eggs could be 

 hatched in these nests and young reared the water would 

 have entirely disappeared, and the Flamingoes would be left 

 stranded in the midst of a scorching plain of sun-baked mud. 

 Being unable to return to the marisma, I sent Felipe back 

 there on 26th May, when he obtained the eggs ; but as yet 

 I have heard no particulars, my faithful cazador being 

 unable to write. In 1872 I obtained eggs taken on the 24th 

 of May. One of my specimens is extremely rugose. 



On the 11th May the Pratincoles were just beginning to 

 lay (one or two eggs in each nest) ; but subsequently I got 

 them in basketfuls. Some of their eggs when taken have a 

 beautiful purplish gloss; three is their complement, and 

 they make hardly any nest. 



Later, again, are the Terns. The Whiskered and Black 



