Nesting of the Spoonbill in Holland. 415 



reeds growing between them. There was, however, a clear 

 open space in the neighbourhood, formed of broken-down 

 reeds, in which the birds were said to congregate. The 

 SpoonbilFs nest, in the Horster Meer at least, is a mere 

 flattened surface of broken reed, not elevated more than two 

 or three inches above the general level of the swamp ; and no 

 other substance but reed appears to be used in its construc- 

 tion. What the proper complement of eggs would be if the 

 birds were left undisturbed we cannot say ; for, as in the case 

 of the Cormorants, the nests are robbed systematically twice 

 a week, until the period when it is known by experience that 

 they cannot produce any more eggs. Then at last the birds 

 are allowed to sit undisturbed. At the time of our visit the 

 season for collecting eggs was just past ; but we helped our- 

 selves to eight fresh eggs, from different nests, laid since the 

 last collection had been made. During all the time that we 

 were in the reed-beds the Cormorants and Spoonbills were 

 floating about over our heads, fully aware that there was an 

 enemy in the camp. We were told that there were several 

 other nesting-places of the Spoonbill in diff'erent parts of the 

 Horster Meer, containing altogether several thousand nests ; 

 so that we may hope that it will be some time before this fine 

 bird becomes extinct in this locality. 



The only other bird we found nesting in the Horster Meer 

 was the Black Tern, of which we captured two young chicks. 



After refreshing ourselves at the hostelry of Overmeer, 

 we returned to Amsterdam in the evening by a difierent route, 

 highly satisfied with our day with the Spoonbills. 



We may observe, in conclusion, that on looking over Mr. 

 Dresser^s account of the Spoonbill in his 'Birds of Europe,' 

 we find him quoting from Schlegel that this bird " is found 

 in the neighbourhood of the large rivers, at Biesboch, Nieuw- 

 erkerk, on the Yssel at Bozenburg, and on the Maas : and 

 breeds in Holland, arriving there in April and leaving in 

 September.''^ Again, a few pages further on, Mr. Dresser 

 says, " It breeds in Holland ; but I do not find any record of 

 its having of late been found nesting elsewhere in Northern 

 Europe, though in Hungary and South-Eastern Europe it 



