20 DRESSER : THREE WEEKS ON THE GUADALQUIVIR. 



clamouring loudly, approaching quite near, and every now and again 

 settling on the rank masses of white water-buttercup which covered 

 the surface of the water in patches where it was free of rushes. Here we 

 soon found several nests of Stilts containing eggs, and, dismounting, - 

 we proceeded to take the eggs, mark them with pencil, and pack 

 them in our baskets. The water was in places nearly up to our 

 knees, though in most parts it was scarcely above our ankles, but the 

 bottom was soft mud, which made walking rather difficult. Both of 

 us had, however, water-boots, and I was fortunate in possessing a 

 very strong pair of German marsh-boots, which reached up to my 

 knees, so I did not get the water into my boots ; and, in fact, after 

 wading in water for several hours my stockings were scarcely damp. 

 As we went on we found many nests of the Stilt, and also of the 

 Terns, and took as many eggs as we cared to take away with us. The 

 two species nested near each other, and sometimes close together^ 

 but usually in separate communities. The nests were placed in the 

 dense growth of water-buttercup that covered the surface of the 

 water, usually in more open places where the rushes and reeds grew 

 more sparsely, and in nearly knee-deep water. The nests of both 

 species were strongly and well constructed of rush and reed bents> 

 but the nests of the Stilts were stouter and stronger built, being 

 raised much higher above the water, whereas those of the Terns were 

 flatter and more lightly constructed, and were invariably lined with 

 bleached rush and reed bents, and were thus easily distinguished, 

 even at some distance. The full complement of eggs was four of 

 the Stilts and three of the Whiskered Terns. We also found several 

 nests of the Coot {Fulica atra), but only one with the full comple- 

 ment of eggs. After spending some time in the reeds, and visiting 

 several colonies of Terns and Stilts, we returned to a sandy island 

 for lunch. Here we saw a good number of Pratincoles and several 

 Kentish Plovers {ALgialitis cantiana), and found four eggs of the 

 latter on a piece of dry cow-dung, without any pretence of a nest. On 

 the shore were several flocks of Waders, and Colonel Barclay fired 

 into one flock and picked up one Dunlin {Tringa alj>ma), one 

 Ringed Plover {yEgialitis hiaticiila), and one Pigmy Curlew {Tringa 

 subarquata). At four we returned to the grass prairie, and rode back 

 to the river. We passed large flocks of cattle and horses, and the 

 ground was covered with grass, tansy, and a rich purple flower, and 

 here and there we observed a very pretty deep blue Spanish Iris. 

 We returned to the steam launch for supper, and soon after our two 

 men came in with a clutch of Bustards' {Otis tarda) eggs and the 

 hen-bird, one clutch of Bitterns' {Botaurus stellaris), a lot of Coots 

 eggs, and one young Coot in down, which last I skinned at once, 



N.ituralist, 



