244 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
at the extremity of the St. George estuary, in the south-eastern 
corner of the Delta. All the information which we collected here 
pointed to the north-west, and on June 19th we had already found 
a new home in the Russian colony Kara-Orman (black forest) in 
the Delta-forest of the same name. Here we made the necessary 
enquiries after breeding-places, and personally visited almost 
all the spots named, without, however, attaining our object. 
Unfortunately fish were scarce this year, and we found all the 
supposed breeding-places deserted, and all our trouble seemed 
in vain. By this time the month of July had begun. Good 
fortune at length brought us in communication with two Russian 
fishermen, Fetka and Demian, who were reputed good shots, and 
who gave us their word of honour that they had discovered a 
large breeding colony of the bird we were in search of. Like all 
their predecessors, they demanded a Turkish lira (about nineteen 
shillings) per day each, besides their food. We resolved to make 
a last attempt, and accordingly sent them with our faithful and 
long-tried chasseur, Ferdinand Beyer, into the Balta, on July 6th, 
to bring us some proof of the truth of their assertion. What 
followed we take from our diary, believing that the impressions 
which we noted down on the spot will convey the best idea of the 
situation. We must ask the reader’s kind indulgence, however, 
for these notes were never intended for publication, and were 
made under circumstances which precluded attention to form 
and style. 
July 8, 1874. At last we have attained the object of 
our wishes—a well-stocked breeding-place of Pelecanus onocro- 
talus is found! We reached the spot after considerable trouble ; 
it is a little “liman” (lake), surrounded by a circle of half- 
floating islands. Upon the latter are the nests, each one 
containing from two to four eggs. Many eggs are still un- 
hatched; in many the young are screaming. Naked birds, 
others in the down, half-fledged ones and full-grown birds, all 
mixed up. Ferdinand has shot four old Pelicans; the two Russians 
five, amongst which is a single Pelecanus crispus. Besides these 
the following have been procured :—Cygnus olor (two adult and 
seven nestlings), Ardea purpurea (one), Podiceps cristatus (one), 
P. subcristatus (four),* Anas nyroca (three), Larus ridibundus (three), 
and Sterna hybrida (one). Of the last-named Sea Swallow a 
* Podiceps subcristatus, Jacq. = P. rubricollis, Latham,—Ep. 
