the Ornithology of Spain. 177 



at that time, however, we were unsuccessful in discovering their 

 abode. As we were resting, a fine Ltemmergeier sailed slowly 

 over our heads ; but my man said that there was no eyry 

 nearer than the gorge of El Chorro, and only one or two, at 

 most, even there; the Griffon Vulture also bred in that locality. 

 He knew all the eggs of the above-mentioned species well, and 

 I conceived great hopes of a good harvest. 



The following day we started again for the cliffs, accompanied 

 by another man with ropes, and proceeded to examine every nest 

 bearing any sign of fresh lining. For a long time we were 

 unsuccessful, merely causing great excitement amongst the 

 Kestrels, every one of which seemed to imagine that its nest 

 was the object of our search. At last an Egyptian Vulture 

 flew off in such a way as to convince me that she had eggs ; and 

 on descending with the rope I found two richly-marked ones 

 quite fresh. All the other coverts were drawn blank ; and after 

 carefully noting two nests of Rock-Thrush in course of con- 

 struction, we worked back to a longitudinal fissure in which I 

 was told the Eagle-Owl {Bubo maximus) bred. Scarcely had T 

 " swarmed " up the rope let down from above, when I put ray 

 hand on the fresh thigh of a rabbit, evidently part of the Owl's 

 last repast. This showed we were on the right track ; but after 

 working with the crowbar for upwards of an hour, we found that 

 the ledge merely led to a labyrinth of small holes, the bottom 

 of which no stick we had would reach ; so we were compelled to 

 give it up. There was great excitement on our return. Of 

 course my friends could not imagine what I wanted with the 

 eggs ; the most sensible supposition was that they were for 

 hatching out in my own country ; and one good lady said that 

 as Eagles and Vultures lived an eternity, I must want to suck 

 their eggs and so live to the age of Methusaleh. But when the 

 precious contents which were to have conveyed immortality 

 were voided on the ground, there was no way of accounting for 

 my peculiar tastes. However, all were quite alive to the pro- 

 priety of getting eggs at the prices I named ; and, promising to 

 return in May, I started for Cordova, leaving the working of the 

 Chorro to my men, as I wanted to be back in Seville, I spent 



N. S. VOL. V. N 



