of the Delta of the Rhone. 469 



Shoveler, Pintail, Teal, &c. — had already arrived in the 

 Delta. 



During our sojourn we observed examples of a number of 

 species which bad not come under our notice in the spring of 

 1891. These additions to our former list are most of them 

 seasonal visitors, and will be particularized in the systematic 

 portion of this contribution by being marked with an 

 asterisk. It is almost needless to remark that a number of 

 the birds mentioned in the former paper again came under 

 observation ; but^ since nothing new is required to be said 

 concerning them, they have been omitted from further 

 consideration here. 



It may not form an unfitting conclusion to this portion of 

 ray contribution to allude to the great changes that have 

 been wrought, and those that are in active progress, in the 

 Camargue. Once the entire surface of the vast triangular 

 Delta — some 400 square miles in area — was entirely in a 

 virgin condition, and then marsh and etang flourished in the 

 north of this wild region, while in the south vast areas of 

 desert and lagoon extended to the Mediterranean. In those 

 palmy days, from an ornithoIogist^s point of view, the 

 Camargue was undoubtedly one of the greatest metropolises 

 of aquatic bird-life in Europe. The reclaimer, however, has 

 long ago transformed much of its northern fastnesses, and 

 now vineyards and cornfields are to be found in their stead. 

 Great marshes, it is true, still remain there, but they have 

 been deprived of much of their seclusion, while an elaborate 

 system of drainage is gradually sapping their luxuriance. 

 There are still in places, nevertheless, perfect forests of 

 reeds, but these are now chiefly tenanted in the summer by 

 aquatic Warblers, and their margins during the periods of 

 migration afford feeding-grounds for certain Waders, but 

 are otherwise unimportant as bird-resorts, though they once, 

 it is said, harboured among others the Sea-Eagle and the 

 beautiful '' Poule sultane " {Porphijrio cceruleus) as breeding 

 species. 



The most interesting ^tangs and marshes are now to be 

 found in the south-west. Here some extensive etangs are 



