270 



Unexplored Spain 



level, and bearing the impression of the bird's legs distinctly 

 marked upon the periphery. The general aspect of the plateau 

 might l)e likened to a large table covered with plates. In the 

 centre was a deep hole full of muddy water, which, from the 

 gouged appearance of its sides, had jirobably supplied the birds 

 with buildino: material. 



Scattered round the main colony were many single nests, 

 rising out of the water and evidently built up from the bottom. 

 Here and there two or three of these were joined together — 

 " semi-detached," so to speak. These isolated nests stood some 

 eight inches above water-level, and as the depth exceeded a foot, 

 their total height would be two feet or thereabouts, and their 



width across the hollowed top, some fifteen inches. None of the 

 nests as yet contained eggs, and though we returned to the 

 jjajerera on the latest day w^e were in its neighbourhood 

 (May 11), they still remained empty. On both occasions many 

 hundreds of flamingoes were sitting on the nests, and on the 

 11th we enjoyed excellent views at close quarters. Linked arm- 

 in-arm with Felipe, and crouching low on the water to look as 

 little human as possible, we had approached within seventy yards 

 before the sentries first showed signs of alarm ; and at that 

 distance, with binoculars, observed the sitting flamingoes as 

 distinctly as one need wish. The long red legs doubled under 

 their bodies, the knees projecting slightly beyond the tail, and 

 the graceful necks neatly curled away among their back feathers 



