MEDITERRANEAN NOTES 197 



" Ruiz brought his cousin, Rafael Mena, of Malaga, 

 to see me in the evening. This seems a very intelligent 

 man ; he tells me that three more trumpeter bullfinches 

 have turned up at Malaga, and that the cream-coloured 

 courser has occurred there three times in his recollection. 

 He knows of a young Gypaetus now in the nest." 



" February i^th. Started in steam launch with T. 

 and captain for Algaba ; arrived about 10 a.m. Took 

 Perico, his brother-in-law, two sons, and two horses 

 after bustards. Went a long way, only saw nine, and 

 only got one long ineffectual shot. 



" Saw griffon vultures, bustards, cranes, storks, sand 

 martins, kingfisher, Cetti's warbler, Bonelli's eagle, peewits, 

 one snipe, great number of larks calandras, skylarks, and 

 crested. A very few Calandrella. Multitudes of kestrels 

 T. shot a hoopoe." 



" February 2$(h. In steam launch to Algaba, picked 

 up Perico and a pilot for Alcata deJ Rio, arrived about 

 10.30. Saw a great many bustards, but our only shots 

 were at impossible distances." 



"February 26th. Fine bright day. We took steam 

 launch at 9 a.m., and proceeded to Coria. Met Manuel 

 and son with a horse ; along river-side to Puebla, 

 behind which village are many likely snipey places. We 

 found a good many, but the full snipes were very wild, 

 and those we killed were mostly jacks. The golden 

 plovers afforded good sport. Bag : 12 golden plovers, 



