Days' Nesting in Andalucia. 83 



Wc returned to the spot on May 25th, when the female again 

 rose close to me and proved that I was right. The nest then 

 contained two eggs. 



Dafila acuta. 



On Lucio Real one of my men flushed and killed a Pintail 

 from her nest on May 5th. The nest contained eight incu- 

 bated eggs and a plentiful supply of down. I am, moreover, 

 perfectly convinced that I found another nest with six broken 

 eggs near the same spot on May 23rd. In Scotland, abroad, 

 and with tame birds, I have always noticed that the Pintail 

 makes its nest in much more exposed situations than any 

 other European Duck with which I am acquainted. The 

 eggs seem to be of two colours — very light yellowish and a 

 distinct green : the down from the nest cannot be mistaken 

 for that of any other Duck known to me. A Spaniard who has 

 spent his life duck-shooting on the marisma, when shown the 

 eggs, exclaimed, " They belong to the ' Pato rabudo.' " I 

 questioned him closely, and he assured me that he had 

 several times found the nest and shot the female, and that this 

 species always nested in the open, thus confirming my own 

 experience. Such men kill so many during the winter, and 

 the bird is so well known to them, that I have no reason 

 to doubt my informant. Possibly these Pintails may be 

 " pricked " birds, which are unable to leave in the spring, 

 and therefore remain to breed. 



FULIGULA FERINA. 



A few observed. One nest was taken on the marisma on 

 May 15th, with slightly incubated eggs ; it was under a bunch 

 of scrub in a wet place. A party collecting Coot's eggs 

 showed me four eggs which, I believe, also belonged to this 

 species. 



COLUMBA PALUMBUS. 



Not very common. Nests found from April 26th onwards. 



TURTUR COMMUNIS. 



Very common, and large flocks were seen on April 17th. 

 Only one nest was actually found^ on May 11th, and that 

 accidentally. 



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