of the Delta uf the Rhone. 203 



of France^ and Jaubert and Bartlielemy-Lapommeraye state 

 that it is of rare and irregular occurrence in Provence. It 

 was with agreeable surprise, therefore, that we observed two 

 fine drakes on the Etang de Consecaniere, in the south-west 

 of the Camargue, on the 17th of May. On the following 

 day, when approaching an island in this same etang, we 

 suddenly came upon three drakes, which allowed us to come 

 within about 15 yards of them. We were at once much 

 impressed with the extreme beauty of these birds, which 

 greatly exceeded our conception formed from cabinet speci- 

 mens and portraits. We particularly noticed that the elon- 

 gated feathers of the head, as seen under the brilliant sunlight, 

 appeared to be fringed with gold. 



On the island a consort of one of these fine fellows was 

 soon discovered on her nest. This was placed in the centre 

 of a thick tangled mass of purslane {Atriplex portulac- 

 coides), so dense that it was reached by a covered way, 

 2 feet in length, worked in the shrub where it rested on 

 the soil. The nest was on the ground, and consisted of a 

 broad rim of down, with a few short dry tamarisk twigs, and 

 contained ten fresh eggs. A few yards further on another 

 duck of this species was disturbed — this time from under 

 an immense shrub of seablite, quite 4 feet in height 

 and as many in diameter. The nest in all respects resembled 

 the last, and contained 17 eggs of two distinct types, and 

 probably the production of different females. The eggs of 

 one set were white and were all singularly malformed. The 

 normal eggs are of a clear pea-green, and a trifle smaller 

 than those of the Pochard. The down in the nest closely 

 resembles that of the Eider-Duck in tint. Both nests were 

 about six yards from the water, and the birds wriggled off at 

 our feet. 



About five or six pairs of this bird frequented the Etang 

 de Consecaniere, and otbers were observed in several lo- 

 calities in the southern portion of the Delta, including the 

 marshes and etangs at the mouth of the Grand Rhone. 



TuRTUR COMMUNIS, Sclby. 



The Turtle-Dove was very common in suitable districts in 



