8 BRITISH BIRDS. 
my prize to recover myself. I was in a small cave with a sloping floor, 
on which was built the nest. The view, now that I could look without 
fear of falling, was most magnificent. The whole plain of La Janda with 
its lagunas was at my feet ; and I could see the distant Atlantic and the 
sandy cape of Trafalgar over the Retin hills. The most interesting object 
to me was the Griffon’s nest and one white egg. The nest was a massive 
affair made of boughs and twigs, very neatly lined with dried grasses and 
dead palmettoes. The bowl was about the size of a small hand-basin, say 
fifteen inches in diameter; and I was much struck with its finish and 
depth, as I had rather expected to find a mere platform of sticks &. The 
rock below it was white with the dung of the birds; and there was an 
indescribable sickly odour about the place. I carefully packed-the egg in 
my box; and, it being out of the question to climb up to where I had 
dropped from, I was most fortunately able to continue my route in a 
downward direction. I soon came upon two more nests with eggs, and 
one empty nest. I now found myself opposite the main fissure of the 
precipice. As I was walking round into it along a most uncomfortable bit 
of strata, a fine old Griffon dashed out close to me. I slipped round the 
corner and swung myself right into the nest. This also contained an egg. 
Again I found myself in a trap; for I could not proceed, a wall-like cliff 
barring further advance ; and although I had jumped off a ledge of strata 
into a nest, I did not feel inclined to reverse the performance. After a 
mauvais quart d’heure (during which time, as my friend subsequently told 
me, he imagined I must have been killed) I struggled up the fissure, until 
it narrowed itself enough to form good climbing-ground for a chimney- 
sweep. After ascending fifty feet or more I struck a good substantial 
ledge, which led me toa series of chasms, one below the other, where I 
came across five more nests. I soon found that my egg-box was full, and 
that unless I could devise some means I should be obliged to leave some 
of the eggs behind. So on reaching a favourable spot I put the eggs in 
my bag, and whilst doing so dropped the box at my feet. On attempting 
to stoop to pick it up, I found that I must relinquish my handhold with 
no chance of finding more lower down; and as I only had foothold enough 
for one foot, I was obliged to desist and leave the box where it lay. 
« All the nests I visited were much of the type described ; some were 
larger and some rather less carefully built. They all had the appearance 
of having been the collection of many nesting-seasons, the lining and a 
portion of the top sides being the only new additions. 
“Of the eight eggs I actually brought away with me on this occasion, 
six were pure white, one very large specimen was faintly speckled with 
rufous at the larger end, and a small variety was speckled at the smaller 
end. is 
«The whole area of the cliff which the Griffons frequented smelt in the 
