'd2Q Mr. M. F. Witlierliy on a CoUerthw [Tbis, 



Brandling off the main valley were numerous small and 

 usually very narrow and winding- valleys with steep sides. 

 On the lower i>round at Potes these were covered with scrub 

 or small cork-oak and ilex trees, with here and there Spanish 

 chestnut. This we did not find a good ground for birds, 

 but at Riano and in the higher ground near Potes were 

 valleys whose sides were often thickly covered with woods, 

 consisting chietly of oak, hazel, and some small beech, while 

 down the middle were often poplars, ash, and other trees and, 

 near Potes, walnuts. The oak woods were either very thick, 

 the trees being pollarded and the undergrowth almost im- 

 penetrable, or much more open, with the trees high and 

 trimmed to the top. 



In all these woods, but chiefly in the thicker ones. Jays, 

 Chaffinches, Robins, Tits, Nuthatches, Creepers, and Fire- 

 crests were plentiful, while Woodpeckers of three species 

 (Green, Great Spotted, and Middle Spotted) and other birds 

 were met with here and there. During the whole of our 

 stay birds were very silent indeed, and the woods being very 

 thick, collecting was not easy. 



There was also much open ground in the region of the 

 higher woods, often with good turf, carpeted with the lovely 

 blue-mauve autumn crocus, slopes of heather, broom-scrub, 

 and scattered thorn-trees. Here were Stonechats, Black 

 Redstarts, a few Wheatears and Hedge-Sparrows, and often 

 companies of Mistle-Thrushes and parties of Carrion-Crows. 



Above the woods (at about 4000 feet) one generally 

 came to rock-strewn slopes, thinly covered with grass, before 

 reaching the bare pale grey limestone peaks. On these 

 slopes Red-billed Choughs fed and the Grey Partridge was 

 seen, while on the rocky peaks were more Choughs and 

 Black Redstarts with, usually. Kestrels flying around. But 

 we did not penetrate into the high, rocky Picos de Europa 

 themselves where H.M. ihe King of Spain hunts chamois, 

 as this meant a considerable expedition, which we thought 

 hardly worth while, in view of the few birds likely to be 

 met with and the short time at our disposal. Irby records 



