36 DRESSER : THREE WEEKS ON THE GUADALQUIVIR. 



a heronry, where, last year, the Bufif-backed Heron bred, and where 

 we saw about a dozen old nests built of sticks, and placed on low 

 bushes, but we saw no Herons, and no new nests. Some distance 

 further on we found a gullery, but the eggs had all been broken, and 

 here we shot a Pratincole, an Avocet, and a Gull-billed Tern. As 

 there seemed to be no prospect of finding eggs here, we returned to 

 the steamer for lunch, and on the way took several nests of Kentish 

 Plover, two of Pratincole, and one of Redshank ; and were 

 fortunate enough to find one Pratincole's nest, containing two newly 

 hatched young birds, which I determined to try and keep alive. In 

 the afternoon we steamed up to another marsh, and on the way our 

 man shot a fine male Scoter {CEdeinia nigra) from the launch, which 

 we found had one foot damaged. At about three we went 

 ashore to hunt for nests, and took two nests of Montagu's Harrier, 

 two of the Marbled Duck with sixteen and fourteen eggs 

 respectively, and three of the Mallard. In the evening we skinned 

 our birds, and blew the eggs, turning in rather early. To-day the 

 weather was cloudy but fine up to midday, after which it cleared 

 up and became intensely hot. Next morning we made a start for 

 another part of the marsh at 4.30, but did not turn out till nearly 

 six. At seven o'clock we arrived at our destination, a large marsh, 

 and going ashore we walked for a couple of miles through mud and 

 water without finding any nests, though we saw several Gulls {Larus 

 gelastes), and Terns. After passing several mud-flats covered with 

 low bushes and coarse heritage, we reached a large shallow lasoon^ 

 through which we Avaded for about half a mile, to reach some small 

 mud islands. The old man and I were some distance ahead when 

 we approached the island, Barclay having gone off to try and shoot 

 a Gull, and, as we came near the first low bushes, a gull flew up and 

 circled close round us, and it certainly was a Black-headed Gull 

 {Larus melanocephalns), as I could see quite well, but having only 

 a light stick gun I could not shoot it. On going to the place where 

 it flew up, we found, at the foot of a low bush, a nest containing 

 three eggs like those of our Common Black-headed Gull, but smaller,, 

 the nest being made of small sticks, without any lining. We called 

 Colonel Barclay to shoot the bird, but when he came up it had flown 

 oft', and though we saw it for some time, it would not approach 

 within gun-shot range, and we could not secure it. A little further 

 on we found a nest of Larus gelastes with two eggs, and Barclay shot 

 the bird as she left the nest, and she is now in my collection. The 

 nests of both species were constructed of sticks, those of Larus 

 gelastes being somewhat stronger built, and invariably lined to some 

 extent with Flamingoes' feathers, besides some of these feathers 



Naturalist, 



