A Trip to the Forest of Marmora. 161 



The supposed eggs of this species described by Dr. T. M. 

 Brewer (see Capen's ' Oology of New England/ pi. xix. fig. G) 

 and Dr. Clark (' The Auk/ Oct. 1898, p. 328) were found in 

 nests on the ground, and do not in the slightest degree 

 resemble those now recorded. It certainly is a most re- 

 markable fact that the eggs of a bird of such wide distribution 

 on the North-American Continent as Totanus solitarius should 

 have so long escaped the observation of American naturalists, 

 and the thanks of ornithologists are due to Mr. Kaine for 

 his enterprise in making them known. 



XV. — A Trip to the Forest of Marmora, Morocco. 

 By E. G. B. Meade-Waldo*. 



In the spring of 1902 an opportunity occurred of visiting the 

 Forest of Marmora, in Northern Morocco. I had wished 

 to make this excursion many times before, as I had seen the 

 forest when passing from Mehedia to Rabat, but it had 

 always been considered impossible, owing to the bad character 

 of the inhabitants. However, we made friends with a certain 

 Sheik who had considerable influence on the borders of the 

 forest, and he said that if we would put ourselves under his 

 protection he would see that we were not " carried off'/' but 

 that we should have to be very careful. This Moor, by name 

 Bourzama, treated us uncommonly well, but took such care 

 of us that we were never out of his sight or that of his 

 dozen attendants. Moreover, although we could go where 

 we liked in the forest to search, we could not shoot in it 

 for fear of letting the brigands know where we were. 

 Indeed our Sheik would not even let us sit down to eat our 

 lunch without holding our loaded guns across our knees. 

 But, in spite of these little difficulties, we spent several most 

 enjoyable and interesting days in the forest. I was able to 

 collect a certain number of insects, and had also admirable 

 opportunities of watching the habits of the magnificent 



* For the author's previous notes on the birds of Morocco, see 'Ibis,' 

 1903, p. 196. 



