Andalucian May, and to watch the birds ; of these the 

 most locally abundant were the Whiskered and the 

 Black Tern, whose nests were on the water amongst 

 thick masses of a white-flowered weed, or on the 

 rubbish left on the banks by the subsidence of winter 

 floods. Here were also, at the time of our visits, many 

 Grebes of three species, their nests interspersed with 

 those of the Terns on the tangle of weed that covered 

 considerable portions of the water-surface. Stilts, Red- 

 shanks, and other Waders were clamorous around us, 

 whilst Bee-eaters coursed the upper air, and Warblers 

 of many species sang and chattered amongst the bul- 

 rushes. Harriers were constantly sailing about, and, 

 as a matter of course in Andalucia, a Vulture or two 

 soared high above all. I am only writing of what 

 might be taken in at a glance, and will not here refer to 

 several other birds whose nests we discovered on close 

 examination of our surroundings. I must in honesty 

 confess that the mosquito was not absent from this 

 ornithological paradise, but tobacco and the birds 

 rendered us indifferent to his attacks, and personally I 

 have always considered this insect as far less irritating 

 than the homely midge of our own country. 



To come back to the special subject of my present 

 article, the Terns disturbed at our appearance rose in a 

 cloud, and dashed about us with great clamour till we 

 had satisfied our greed by taking some of their eggs by 

 riding into the water and ladling them out of the nests ; 

 but they took very little notice of our presence as we 

 sat about the margin of the tarns after this operation, 

 and many of them settled quietly down upon their eggs 



