Spring-time in the Marismas 389 



(another or two hard by), were about five feet above water-level, 

 and contained three, three, and four pale-blue eggs. While circling 

 around their nests, the old herons showed a conspicuous i)rojection 

 beneath their curved necks. AVe therefore shot one and found 

 the effect was caused by a curious "kink" or bony process on 

 the front of the upper neck — as sketched. 



Of other birds observed at this Laguiia de Terajes may be 

 noted a few mallard and marbled ducks, a pair of squacco herons 

 (not breeding), common sandpipers (on May 8), and a party of 

 whiskered terns which arrived while we were there. 



The day we had spent among ' the marsh-birds at this 

 sequestered lagoon happened to be the day of the general 

 election and the usual excitement prevailed. Yet, as we 

 journeyed down by the early 

 train, we had read in the 

 morning's paper this para- 

 graph : "An understanding" 

 [Inteligencici] — " Yesterday 

 an understanding was arrived 

 at in Madrid between Maura 



, ^ - . . 1 • 1 1 PURPLE HERON (Ardea purpurea) 



and Canalejas, by which the 



former is to hold 225 seats." Why, after that, bother further 



with an election ? 'Tw'ill serve as an object-lesson at home. 



Another phenomenon of the Spanish marismas is the through- 

 transit in May of that little group of world-wanderers that make 

 a winter-home in the southern hemisphere — in South Africa and 

 Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, some even in Patagonia — 

 and yet return each spring to summer in Arctic regions. These 

 comprise, notably, but four species, and not one of these four, in 

 our view, is excelled for perfect beauty of bright, chaste, and 

 contrasted coloration by any other bird -form on earth. This 

 quartette is composed of the grey plover, knot, curlew-sandpiper, 

 and bartailed godwit — all four of which appear here in thousands 

 every May, and all in summer dress. 



Note, first, that these do not arrive in Spain (having come 

 6000 or 8000 miles but being still 2000 or 3000 miles short of 

 their final destination) until long after all other birds — including 

 several congeneric and closely related species — have already laid 

 their eggs and many hatched their young. Also, secondly, that 

 some of them begin to assume their spring breeding-plumage 



