50 Mr. H. Saimders on the Birds of Southern Spain. 



All these, however, are merely lists, giving little information 

 beyond stating that a bird is common or rare. It unfortunately 

 happens in Spain that one Professor or " Catedratico " is ap- 

 pointed to the whole department of Natural Science — Zoology, 

 Botany, Geology, and other 'ologics, at which he works in cycles ; 

 and it was my misfortune to find, wherever I went, that the Pro- 

 fessor had finished his "ornithological cycle" some ten or even 

 twenty years previously, and was in consequence by no means 

 well posted up in that branch. On the other hand they, and, 

 indeed, all Spaniards, are most desirous of affording any assist- 

 ance in their power; and I can never be sufficiently grateful for 

 the kindness I have experienced in all parts of the Peninsula 

 and in the Balearic Islands, especial thanks being due to Don 

 Angel Guirao, of Murcia, and to the Otero family at Seville. 



I have endeavoured to avoid sweUing tiie bulk of the present 

 list by the repetition of any details already given in * The Ibis,' 

 1869, pp. 170 and 397. I am well aware of its many imper- 

 fections ; but I trust it may be of some use to future visitors to 

 Spain, and the more omissions they discover the better I shall 

 be pleased. 



1. VuLTUR ciNEREUS. " Buitre negro.'' 



By no means rare throughout Andalucia, nesting in pine trees 

 in the forests of Segura, also near Utrera. All the eggs taken 

 in Spain are much suffused with colour, many being as strongly 

 marked as those of Neophron percnopterus. 



I have nothing to add to Lord Lilford's account of the nesting 

 of this species in the Castiles. It is resident in Mallorca, where 

 I observed it. 



2. Gyps fulvus. " Buitre franciscano." 



This is the common Vulture of the country, breeding in small 

 colonies in every mountain-range. It lays early in March, as I 

 found some young birds in the first week of April. The eggs 

 (usually one, but occasionally two) have seldom any genuine 

 marking ; but I know of a colony of six where the eggs are always 

 somewhat spotted and streaked. Both the above species are 

 indiscriminately called " Buitres," pronounced " Butres " by the 

 peasants. 



