THE BjETICAN WILDERNESS — MAY. 



89 



May 8th, 1872. — A remarkable passage of waders occurred 

 to-day : the banks of the Guadalete swarmed with bird- 

 life, some of the oozes crowded with plovers, &c., as thick 

 as they could stand. A mixed bag included whimbrels, 

 grey plovers, ring-dotterel, curlew-sandpiper, sand-grouse, 

 &c. Many of the Grey Plovers were superb specimens in 

 perfect black-and-white plumage, and the Curlew- Sand- 

 pipers in richest rufous summer-dress. Unfortunately, the 

 attractions of the Great Bustard, several of which were also 



GREY PLOVERS— SUMMER-PLUMAGE. 



in sight, proved irresistible : but I had the satisfaction of 

 riding home that evening with my first bustard slung to 

 the alforjas. The next day, as is often the case, hardly a 

 passage-bird was to be seen, and my bag only contained a 

 pair of Grey Phalaropes, and a female Montagu's Harrier. 

 May Wi, 1883. — The effects of dawn over the vast 

 desolations of the marisma were specially beautiful this 

 morning. Before sunrise the distant peaks of the Ser- 

 rania de Eonda (seventy miles away) lay flooded in a 

 blood-red light, and looking quite twice their usual height. 

 Half an hour later the mountains sank back in a golden 

 glow, and long before mid-day were invisible through the 



