8 APPENDIX: NO. V. 
soft sand or mud (Zool. 227)’, but I did not perceive that in the 
mode adopted by my birds the beak was ever closed until just as it 
was drawn out of the water, which was not done frequently ; and 
I think the rapidity with which it was passed through the water 
would make ‘‘snittering” useless, if not impossible. The above- 
mentioned bird kept betore us in- short flights for a great distance 
down the river, till at length we overtook a small flock of the same 
species which it joined ; these were all fishing in the same manner, 
and so busy were they, that they would not rise till we were just 
opposite to them, and they began again the instant they alighted ; 
the state of the tide was probably that’ which best suited their 
operations. Their appearance when thus occupied was so striking 
as to call the attention of all the people on board, all Spaniards. 
In flying, the neck as well as the legs are stretched out, and this, 
with the comparative straightness of the wings and their quicker 
flapping, gives the Spoonbill, when in the air, an appearance very 
different to that of the Heron-tribe. The same day I saw numbers 
of Curlews and many different sizes of Sandpipers, also various 
Gulls and Terns, several kinds of Ducks, and one flock of Geese, 
besides birds I could not make out. The common Heron was 
abundant along the banks, and very tame, large Hawks like Marsh- 
Harriers were sailing over the plains. On my voyage up, I had 
seen one huge black fellow seated in the distance in solitary 
grandeur, and to my great satisfaction I clearly made out with my 
glass that he was a Vulture; it was within two or three hours 
of Seville, and near the vast pastures where the far-famed bulls 
were rearing for the fight: near there I was informed they were not 
uncommonly to be seen. On my return, of course I kept a good 
look out, and great was the excitement with which I saw four or 
five of these birds rise from the ground, their necks stretched out, 
and their long rounded wings flapping slowly, until they began to 
sail in majestic circles, when I watched them for nearly a quarter of 
an hour without observing a single motion of the wings. Some 
time afterwards, as we were approaching San Lucar, another got up 
on the bank almost close to the boat. Tueir flight is not unlike 
that of the Harriers. I supposed them to be the young of the 
Egyptian Vulture”. I believe I afterwards saw a flock of mature 
birds in the Bay of Tangier, but they were at some distance. The 
great Bustard is a bird I had always longed to see in its native wilds, 
a bird whose name now only reminds one of good old times in 
English natural history ; and this same day my eyes were delighted 
with the sight of several small herds at a very little distance off ; 
their bodies appeared longer as they were feeding than I should 
have thought they would do, four or five that were close to the 
1 [The reference points to the evidence of a nameless “ intelligent person of whose 
accuracy of observation he had no doubt” reported by Mr. A. T. Dodd, of 
Chichester, to Mr. A. E. Knox ; but the expression in quotation marks does not 
occur in the latter’s note, and I do not know who used it, uor can I interpret the 
initials within the bracket.—Eb. | 
2 [See No. XXI. for correction.—Ep. ] 
