from Slavonia and Hungary. 1.27 



Velencze_, a somewhat shallow lake, about twenty-seveu miles 

 in length and one and a half in width, lying some twenty 

 miles S.W. of Buda. On alighting at Dinyes we proceeded 

 towards the village of Gardony along the margin of the lake, 

 which consists of marshy meadow-land, and were gratified 

 at the sight of a pair of Black-winged Stilts, many White 

 Herons, several White-headed Ducks, Eed-necked Grebes, 

 White-winged Black Terns, and Marsh-Harriers, very many 

 Great Crested Grebes, while among the less interesting were 

 numerous Coots and Black Terns, a few Redshanks, Blue- 

 headed and White Wagtails. At Gardony, after some delay, 

 we procured four small flat-bottomed boats, and set off in 

 different directions over the reed-beds which stud the centre 

 of the lake, each in charge of a fisherman clad in a cotton 

 divided skirt reaching below his knees, a coarse cloth tunic, 

 and a pork -pie felt hat, who navigated the somewhat preca- 

 rious craft with great skill, aided only by a long pole, with 

 which, although it did not reach the bottom in most places, 

 he managed to propel us with considerable speed. The 

 result of our labours to procure both specimens and eggs 

 was disappointing, for we only bagged a Purple Heron, a 

 Great Crested Grebe, several Black Terns and Great E,eed- 

 Warblers ; while several hours^ really hard work among the 

 reed-beds under a broiling sun only resulted in our findina; 

 the nests and eggs of the Great Crested Grebe and Coot in 

 the utmost profusion. Several nests of the Great Reed- 

 Warbler, a species of which the harsh notes resounded through 

 the reeds on all sides, were ready for eggs, and it was noted 

 that more than one of these were coated with that fine thread- 

 like confervoid growth so common to stagnant waters. When 

 afloat we made the following additions to the list of sj)ecies 

 already enumerated : — Eared Grebe, Little Bittern, Mallard, 

 Pintail, White-eyed Duck, Avocet, Spoonbill, Penduline Tit, 

 Little Grebe, Common Tern, Brown-headed Gull, and a large 

 species of Gull, the identity of which we had not a chance of 

 ascertaining. With so many good things around us we could 

 only account for our almost blank day by surmising that we 

 M'cre too early for eggs. We ceased, however, to wonder 



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