92 Mr. A. Chapman's Rough Notes 



applies to the Rails, of which Rallus aquaticus and Porzana 

 maruetta appear about equally numerous in the marshes. 

 The Common Bittern, which is almost invariably " pointed " 

 to by native dogs, falls a frequent victim to the Snipe-shooter 

 in winter, lying extremely close in the rankest flags or reeds, 

 in retired parts of the marshes. Its name of '' Garza- 

 mochuelo'''' (2. e, Owl-Heron), common to both Spain and 

 Portugal^ is singularly appropriate. I did not find its eggs^ 

 but have those of the Little Bittern. 



As the long summer day draws to its close, the infinite 

 variety of nocturnal sounds which during the short twilight 

 suddenly awake into being strike strangely on a northern 

 ear. Of crepuscular birds the first to commence the concert 

 is the Busset-necked Nightjar {Caprimulgus ruficolUs), which 

 abounds all over the scrub, A few minutes later, from the 

 cork-trees, resounds the note of the Little Owl, then the 

 sharp ringing cry of the Scops Owl ; while far and neai', 

 among the grass, the loud rattle of the crickets starts like 

 an alarum ; and from every pool the united croaks of literally 

 millions of frogs form, as it were, a background of sound 

 resembling the distant roar of a mighty city. 



The Little Owls [Athene noctua) just mentioned breed in 

 holes in the cork-trees, and early in May I found several of 

 their nests with four and five eggs. In the same situations 

 a Great Tit, with ten eggs, many Jackdaws, and other 

 common species. On May 12th a Mallard^s nest contained 

 nine eggs, just chipping. 



At Jerez, in the middle of May, I found several nests of 

 the Orphean Warbler in bushes in the olive-woods, also one 

 which I believe to be that of Sylvia melanocephala. The 

 Woodchat's nests, many of which appeared ready for eggs on 

 April 30th, contained none till May 14th. None of their eggs 

 had any rufous tinge. The 14tli May produced many nests 

 of the Calandra, Crested^ and Short-toed Larks, also of the 

 Common Bunting, each of these with five eggs. On the 16th 

 were added those of the Common Whitethroat, Rufous 

 Warbler, and Lesser Kestrel. Bee-eaters were now laying 

 in deep holes in the river-banks, breeding in colonies like 



