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Il—/lN A SPANISH LAGUNA. 
CHAPTER I. 
A DAY IN A LAGUNA. 
The lagunas of southern Spain—Dense growth of bulrush and reeds—Some 
unpleasant residents—Herds of swine and their work—Storks—Buff-backed 
Egrets and their occupation—Water tortoises and snakes—Purple Herons— 
Marsh Harriers—Undesirable neighbours—Wading through the water 
channels—Purple Gallinules—Bitterns—Great Reed Warblers—Whiskered 
Terns—A floating lake dwelling—Bulls and other cattle in the marshes. 
MID the marshes of southern Spain a 
great variety of birds find suitable 
nesting-places. The size and exact 
locality of these swamps vary from 
year to year and depend upon the 
amount and time of the rainfall dur- 
ing the winter months. — But there 
are certain low-lying portions which 
usually remain flooded for months 
after the shallows around have be- 
come expanses of sun-baked mud. 
There are places of this description 
near my dwelling and since the quest 
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of nests in such spots is unlike birds 
nesting in any of its more normal 
phases, I shall give an account of one here. 
To begin with, such places usually have a fairly hard and level 
