l8 DRESSER: THREE WEEKS ON THE GUADALQUIVIR. 



At about six o'clock we went aboard and dropped down the 

 river. We prepared our own supper, as the skipper was busy, and 

 after getting our stores somewhat in order, we made up our beds, and 

 turned in, but did not either of us sleep particularly well, as the seats 

 on which we lay were so narrow, that we could not turn round 

 without danger of falling off, besides which, the cushions were 

 abominably lumpy. These small inconveniences, however, we got 

 quite accustomed to in a day or two, and managed to sleep pretty 

 well. At five o'clock the men were moving, so we turned out and 

 got our breakfast, consisting of chocolate, bread, cold fowl, and 

 oranges ; and soon got up steam and moved onwards towards the 

 large marshes, but on the way we made a halt, and went on shore to 

 explore amongst the belt of trees and bushes which skirted the river. 

 Here we found a Magpie's nest containing six eggs of the Magpie 

 {Pica caiidata), and one of the Great Spotted Cuckoo {Coccystes 

 glandarins) which we took, and we saw numbers of small birds, but 

 found no more nests, and as the long grass was very wet, it having 

 rained in the night, we found walking so uncomfortable, that we were 

 glad to return to the launch. As we steamed slowly along the river, 

 we saw numbers of Bee-eaters {Merops apiaster), a few Black Terns 

 {Hydj'ochelidon nigra), a-xid. several Marbled Duck (Anas angustirostris) 

 flew up out of the reeds as we passed. We soon reached the 

 marshes, and disembarked for a ramble on shore. The whole 

 country around was one vast pasturage, for the water had dried up, 

 except in places, leaving mud on which had grown up grass and 

 floAvers, and large herds of cattle and horses were grazing on the rich 

 herbage. In most places the ground was very irregular, owing to the 

 cattle having roamed around when the ground was still soft, leaving 

 holes rather than hoof-prints. Here and there were low bushes, and 

 tansy seemed to grow everywhere. We found several nests of the 

 Short-toed Lark {Ca/andrella hrachydadyla) with eggs, and two or 

 three of Calandrella bcetica, all these latter, however, being empty. 

 The nests of the Short-toed Lark were placed on the ground, usually 

 in a hoof-hole left by the cattle as they trampled through the 

 soft mud, and almost always at the foot of, or near a tuft of grass or 

 low bush, and were as a rule not very strongly constructed of dry 

 grass bents. The nest of Calandrella bceiica was usually better and 

 stronger built than that of Calandrella hrachydadyla, and the nests 

 of the two species could be readily distinguished. Both species 

 usually line their nests with a few feathers, or use a little wool in the 

 lining, but not invariably ; and the nests of Calaiidrella bcetica 

 generally contain fewer feathers than those of Calandrella brachy- 

 dactyla. 



• Naturalist, 



