78 WILD SPAIN. 



we afterwards observed close by : the above were all in 

 sif^ht, mostly in shot, at one spot. 



The Coots and Mallards have eggs in March, the Purple 

 Heron early in April : on the 9th we found the first nest, 

 merely an armful of the long green reeds bent down, and 

 containing one blue egg. The other herons nest very late 

 — in June. 



One other bird-group remains to be briefly mentioned — 

 the Lav'uuc. In so congenial a resort they are, of course, 

 in force : but in early April few gulls, beyond the British 

 species, are noticeable* — of others, anon. The Whiskered 

 Tern (HiidrochcVulon Iti/hrida) came in swarms during 

 the first days of April, followed on the 13th by the Lesser 

 Tern, and at the end of the month by H. n'lfira, the Black 

 Tern, all of which abound, gracefully hovering over every 

 pool or reed-choked marsh. The larger Gull-billed Tern 

 {Sterna anglica) is also common in summer in the 

 marisma, where we have taken the eggs of all four species. 



The utter loneliness and desolation of the middle 

 marismas are a sensation to be remembered. Hour after 

 hour one pushes forwai'd across the flooded plain, only to 

 bring within view more and j^et more vistas of watery 

 waste and endless horizons of tawny water. On a low 

 islet in the far distance stand a herd of cattle — mere points 

 in space : but they, too, partake of the general wild- 

 ness, and splash off at a galop while yet a mile away. 

 Even the horses or ponies of the marisma seem to have 

 reverted to their original man-fearing state, and are as 

 shy and timid as any of the fctve natune. After long days 

 on the monotonous marisma, one's wearied eyes at length 

 rejoice at a vision of trees— a dark green pine-grove casting 

 grateful shade on the scorching sands beneath. To that 



* Kittiwakes and Black-headed Gulls in swarms during March and 

 early April, whitening acres of water. The latter remained till perfect 

 siunmer-plumage is attained (by March 21st). Little Gulls fi-equent : 

 on two occasions (in February and March) observed in scores. La run 

 fuscus and L. argentatus were common in March, and on April 5th 

 we obtained an adult of L. )iiarinus in the marisma. Of British 

 Terns, S. cantiaca and S.fliivia tills, were noticed in early spring. 



