26 ROCKY CLIFFS^ ETC. 
between Tarifa and Algeciraz, is also very beautiful ; but tbe 
Garganta del Helecho (Valley of tlie Ferns), south-west 
of Pulverilla, is perhaps the best for shrubs, flowers, and 
ferns. The " Waterfall " valley, near Algeciraz (la Gar- 
ganta del Aguila) , is tamer than any ; but above the cascades 
or waterfalls it improves on acquaintance. This ravine, how- 
ever, is well known to every one who has been at Gibraltar, 
as the regular rendezvous for picnics, the very name of which 
is enough to destroy any merits that the scenery may possess. 
Towards Tarifa and beyond, on the road to Vejer, the country 
is not so pretty, opening out near Pasinas to the vega of the 
Laguna de la Janda ; thence, cultivated ground, or campina, 
stretches away to Medina Sidonia and on to Jerez. On the 
right and left of this road, however, are three isolated rocky 
ranges — those of la Sierra de San Bartolome and la Sierra 
de la Plata being to the left, that of la Sierra Enmedia to 
the right ; these ranges are the breeding-places of GriflFon 
Vultures and other rock-breeding birds, and are well worthy 
of a visit. 
I here give the names of a few of the rocky cliffs which 
should be visited by those who wish to see such places : — la 
Laja de la Zarga and la Silla del Papa, in the Sierra de 
Plata ; la Laja del Sicar, to the east of and near TaiA'illa ; 
Piedra de Paz, near Paterna; la Laja de los Pajaros, los 
Jolluelos, and la Laja de Penarroyo, near Casa Vieja. 
There are also magnificent clifi's in the Sierra de las 
Cabras, east of Alcala de los Garzules, and hundreds of others 
which I saw but could not find time to visit. I did not care 
to send "collectors" to bring eggs without the birds to which 
they belonged ; or, as is often the case with these worthies, 
they would have brought eggs with birds to which they did not 
belong, and, with unblushing efirontery, sworn perhaps, as I 
have known them do, that a Turkey's egg was taken by them 
in a high clifi", and belongs to an "Aguila de las rocas." 
I hope that this book may not be the cause of the useless 
or unnecessary destruction of any bird, and especially that 
dealers may not profit thereby. All I have mentioned is in- 
tended for the benefit of true ornithologists, and not for those 
