584 



NA TURE 



[Al'RIL 20, 189; 



exploration of certain bird-islets lying off the shore 

 of the marisma, success was at length obtained. 

 On a low mud-island was found a "perfect mass of 

 nests," and scattered round the main colony were 

 numerous single nests raised above the water-level. 

 From a distance of about seventy yards the sitting birds 

 were observed most distinctly. " The long red legs 

 doubled under their bodies, the knees {scribe, heels) pro- 

 jecting as far as or beyond the tail, and their graceful 

 necks neatly curled away among their back-feathers, 

 with the heads resting on their breasts — all these points 

 were unmistakable." The problem was thus solved, for 

 it had been asserted by previous authorities that the 

 sitting flamingo, unlike other birds, straddles across its 

 elevated nest, leaving its long legs dangling down on 

 each side ! It is only fair, however, to add that the true 



in the marisma in a " wholly wild state," and are " practi- 

 cally ownerless." 



Did space permit, we could well give further " elegant 

 extracts" from this interesting volume, which is replete 

 with information on the inhabitants of " Wild Spain," and 

 their manners and customs. The numerous plates and 

 smaller illustrations in the text are mostly excellent, and 

 add greatly to the attractions of the work. We might, 

 however, wonder that greater accuracy has not been 

 secured as regards the spelling of some of the scientific 

 names, especially when we are told that Mr. Howard 

 Saunders's experienced eye has " gone through the proof- 

 sheets. For example, halidetus is misprinted '■^ Halicee- 

 ius" Aedon, " ACdon," and Rhopalocera, " Rhodopa- 

 Iflcet'a.^' Nor is it correct to call an Arabian camel 

 {Caineliis dromedarius) a " Bactrian " {i.e. C. badrianus). 



Flamingoes on the 



mode of the incubation of the flamingo has also been 

 witnessed since, in the case of the North American 

 species {Phcenicopterus roseus), by Sir I 'enry Blake, in 

 the West Indian island of Abaco (see Nineteenth Century., 

 December, 1887). Sir Henry has fully confirmed the 

 accuracy of Mr. Chapman's observations. 



Another curious discovery which we owe to the energy 

 of Mr. Chapman is the existence of wild camels living 

 and breeding in the " Boetican Wilderness." The state- 

 ment that camels were roaming about and reproducing 

 their species in Europe at first met with much unbelief 

 and even ridicule. There can be no doubt, however, on 

 the subject. The camels were introduced from the 

 Canaries in 1833, and for some years used as beasts of 

 burden in the province of Cadiz. ' At the present time 

 some stray descendants of these camels live and flourish 

 NO. 1225. VOL. 47I 



It is also now well known that the ichneumon of Spain 

 is the same as the Algerian and Egyptian species 

 {i.e. Herpestes ichneumon). It should therefore be no 

 longer called Herpestes widdrijigtoni. 



NOTES. 

 The conditions under which the total solar eclipse on Sunday 

 was observed seem, on the whole, to have been favourablf. 

 According to a telegram from Ceara, the clouds at Para Cura 

 --where the British expedition in charge of Mr. A. Taylor was 

 stationed — were heavy before contact, but afterwards dis- 

 persed, leaving a clear space for observation during totality. 

 The photographs were believed to be satisfactory. The eclipse 

 was seen at Bathurst, in West Africa, " in perfectly clear 



