BIRD-LIFE OF THE SPANISH SPRING-TIME. 243 



not the Black species) is to decorate their abodes with a 

 collection of gaudy rags and other fantastic rubbish : in 

 one case I found the dead and dried remains of a "White 

 Owl hung up, in others the long quill-feathers of the Spoon- 

 bill and other birds, a linen shirt-sleeve, old match-boxes, 

 and similar sundries. But this curious custom was useful 

 in saving many an unnecessary climb — no nest was worth 

 going up to unless a rag or two fluttered in the breeze. 

 The Kites, moreover, select the loftiest trees for their 

 abodes, and owing to the habit of Spanish foresters to 

 lop off all the lower branches of the pines when saplings, 

 these trees grow up tall, straight, and slippery as fishing- 

 rods. Fortunately for oological enterprise, the scant 

 population of the pinales are mostly pinaleros — pine-cone 

 gatherers. These pine-cones are used for fuel and for 

 making a confection something like nougat. The tree- 

 climbing abilities of the pinaleros are marvellous : in this 

 way we obtained many eggs of Kite, Buzzard, Booted 

 Eagle, and most of the forest-breeding species. 



After a stiff climb to one Kite's nest, built in a tall 

 branchless aspen, whose base was barricaded by clinging 

 thorny briars, I was disappointed to find no eggs. The 

 Kite had sat close, and I had just shot her from the 

 nest : all around hung the customary decorations, yet the 

 big nest appeared to contain nothing but a white rag. I 

 turned this over, and there, beneath and almost wrapt in 

 what proved to be a delicate cambric handkerchief, em- 

 broidered with the name " Antonia M.," lay two handsome 

 eggs ! The fair Andaluza who had lost this property 

 might throw an interesting light on the distances traversed 

 by Kites in the search thereof: Shakespeare warned her 

 {Winter's Tale, Act IV., Sc. 2), " Where the Kite builds, 

 look to lesser linen." 



Another denizen of the pinales requires passing notice — 

 the Baven. It is curious that in Spain these birds nest 

 later than in northern lands. In Northumberland the 

 Baven lays early in.March, or even at the end of February, 

 amidst snow and frost. Here, on the last day of April, 

 we found two nests on pines not far apart. One was 



n 2 



