180 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke— Ornithology 



scarcelj' relieved by oases — in wet seasons low flat islets — in 

 the shape of patches of waste with scanty heath-like 

 vegetation. The waters of Valcares are intensely salt and 

 marvellously clear^ and entirely devoid of vegetable life^ unless 

 of a microscopic nature. Its animal-life, so far as variety is 

 concerned, is most limited and appeared to be confined to a 

 few eels, and myriads of that tiny crustacean the brine- 

 shrimp (Artemia salina), about which we shall have more to 

 say in our notes under the heading of the Flamingo.* The 

 floor of all the lagoons and etangs in the Camargue is 

 wonderfully tough, and possessed of great water-holding 

 qualities; and thus the waters are drawn off almost entirely 

 by evaporation, which is exceedingly rapid under the fierce 

 sunshine of spring and summer. We had evidence of this 

 remarkable water-holding quality of the soil, when after a 

 few hours^ heavy rain several etangs were restored to a few 

 days' existence. The Mediterranean, under the influence of 

 strong southerly winds, is driven some miles inland, and also 

 restores for a time some of the contiguous lagoons. In the 

 south-east, in the Beauduc district and vicinity of the Vieux 

 Rhone, many of the etangs adjoining the Mediterranean 

 communicate with the sea ; and these are never quite dry, 

 though they vary considerably in the extent of their waters. 

 They, too, are extremely shallow, and are studded with 

 islands. 



This region of salt lagoons is singularly devoid of bird- 

 life, which is not surprising, since it is not calculated to 

 afford the requirements necessary for the existence and 

 nesting of ordinary aquatic species. Indeed, the only 

 bird which makes its summer home amid this singular 

 wilderness of water is the Flamingo, a species, however, 

 which is in so many ways interesting as to compensate to a 

 considerable degree for this remarkable dearth of feathered 

 inhabitants. The Flamingo, however, is extremely local, for 

 its haunts are practically confined to the Etang du Valcares, 

 whence it sometimes pays short visits to the lagoons in the 



* Numerous valves of small specimens of Cardium edule are to be 

 found on the shore, but we failed to obtain any containing the mollusc. 



