the Oniitholot/ij of Spain. 183 



Little Egret concluded the day. Shortly before sunset we passed 

 a tree perfectly covered with Vultur monachus, Gyps fulvus, and 

 Neophron percnopterus, the last looking very small by the side of 

 its gigantic allies. 



Next day we were doomed to disappointment. First we found 

 another nest of Circaetus gnllicus, the egg in which was hatched, 

 and afterwards the whole nest had slipped and tilted the young 

 bird out into a thicket of briars, round vvhicli the old birds were 

 wheeling, screaming wildly. Then wc got to an estate where 

 there was a small marsh. It had been worked the previous 

 evening for eggs for eating, and the ground outside the house 

 was strewed with fragments of those of Fulica cristata, Porphi/rio 

 veterum, and some kind of Heron, jirobably Arclea purpurea, 

 most of which had been thrown away, being partially incubated. 

 A large wooded marsh, full of old nests of Squacco- and Buff- 

 backed Herons and Little Egrets, and, as I was told, of Spoon- 

 bills [Platalea leucorodia), was utterly silent ; and our only spoils 

 of any value wei*e two eggs of Common Kite and two of Great 

 Spotted Cuckoo. At night we got back to a hut by a good 

 marsh for Stilts and Pratincoles ; and the appearance of the sky 

 showed that we were in for a wetting next day. 



As soon as it was light we hastened to the marsh, filled a couple 

 of baskets with marsh-birds' eggs, principally Stilts', Pratincoles', 

 and Kentish Plovers', and then rode for fourteen hours in the 

 heaviest rain I ever saw in Europe. At sunset it changed to hail, 

 suddenly, by way of improvement. My skins were a sorry sight ; 

 but, though the horses came dowui several times in fording the 

 streams, comparatively few eggs were broken. We saw plenty 

 of Bustards ; but it was no time for shooting. I would not 

 even stop for a Stork's nest, which I had had a great desire to 

 pillage. 



Scarcely had I got back to. Seville when I received news from 

 the mountains that my men had found a nest of Bonelli's Eagle ; 

 so 1 was off again, and, after about ten hours' journey, found 

 myself again amongst my friends. The village had " come out 

 strong " in the way of Griffon Vultures ; for it seems that the 

 cazadores delayed their visit to the Chorro until most of the 

 eggs were hatched, and then, thinking they might as well sweep 



