of Western Greece. 387 



the moutli of the passage. Presently something that felt cold, 

 like a dog's nose, began rubbing against the palm. On with- 

 drawing the hand a thick snake poked his head out of the aper- 

 ture, looked around for awhile, and then popped in again. He 

 was in very good quarters, and evidently intended to take a lease 

 of the premises, which just suited him, as he could coil himself 

 up in the bulb of the retort, with his head and neck stretched 

 out along the passage in readiness for any emergency. We soon 

 had him sprawling upon the floor of the cave, when it became 

 apparent that he had swallowed a full-grown young Swallow, the 

 other three being in all probability destined for a similar fate. 

 The sensations of these wretched little victims, lying in such close 

 contact with their horrible enemy, must have been somewhat 

 akin to those of Ulysses and his companions in the cave of Poly- 

 phemus. In the destruction of the nest, two of them made good 

 their escape; the fourth was captured and preserved by Kriiper, 

 together with the first, which, on being cut out of the body of 

 the snake, was found to be very little injured as a specimen. 

 The walls of the cave were smooth and nearly perpendicular, the 

 roof at least seven feet above the floor, and no cracks visible ; 

 how then could this monster have wriggled himself into such a 

 well-stocked larder ? 



Every European species of Hirundo and Cypselus (except per- 

 haps H. riparia) may be found breeding in Mount Aracynthus. 

 Cijpsehis melba {7reTpo')(^e\lSova) comes in April, and establishes 

 considerable colonies both here and in Varassovo-: its nests lie 

 deep in the clefts of high precipices, and are very difficult of ac- 

 cess. Cypselus apus is not so common. Hirundo urbica {')(^e\iS6va) 

 has several large colonies in the Klissouras and in the Grand 

 Gorge: its round nests thickly dotting the face of the cliff are 

 very conspicuous ; the birds may be seen flocking in and out of 

 them like a swarm of bees. In the mountain, Hirundo rustica 

 is not so common as the latter : there is a variety frequent about 

 Mesolonghi, which at one time was raised to the dignity of a 

 separate species. Hirundo rupestris {dypia ')(e\ihova) is the only 

 Swallow that winters in Greece. Numbers of them passed the 

 month of February in the cliff's above the lagoon at ^tolico, 

 where the nest of Bonelli's Eaprle was found. During the sum- 



