BIRD-LIFE OF THE SPANISH SPRING-TIME. 261 



seen a Cushat's nest which in the morning had con- 

 tained its two eggs, occupied towards evening by the 

 sleeping coils of a green Eyed Lizard (Lacerta ocellata), 

 measuring nearly a yard in length, and thousands of 

 promising families are yearly called into existence only to 

 provide sustenance for cold-blooded, scaly saurians. 



Here are three or four examples extracted from our 

 note-book : — 



"April 23rd. — While on the sand-ridge overlooking the 

 laguna de Santolalla, watching a pair of Marbled Ducks, 

 some Crested Grebes, etc., heard subterranean scuffling 

 and rumblings. Presently two rabbits bolted, and from 

 a hole close by emerged the writhing tail of a great 

 green lizard, backing out, and dragging, by an engulfed 

 hind leg, a half-grown rabbit, too terrified to squeal. In 

 some rushes we lost sight of the reptile, but two minutes 

 later, put him out and shot him. The hapless rabbit 

 was then gorged — head downwards." 



" May 18th. — Dug out a Bee-eater's colony — some of the 

 tunnels quite eight or ten feet deep. In two of the nests 

 found snakes, coiled up. One big black fellow entombed 

 the remains of four or five Bee-eaters, swallowed entire, 

 besides many eggs. The smaller snake contained eggs 

 and a brace of Field-mice." 



"May 23rd. — Heard two Partridges in a great state of 

 excitement ; coming up, saw a snake in the act of devouring 

 a half-feathered chick. The brute, which only measured 

 three feet, nine inches, already contained four young 

 Partridges ! " 



" June 9th. — Shot a huge Coluber, six feet two inches, 

 greatly distended in centre. On opening him found two 

 nearly full-grown rabbits, swallowed whole." 



Under such conditions, the presence of the hawk-tribe 

 is an actual advantage to the game-preserver — they are 

 his under-keepers and vermin-trappers. No doubt, were 

 it possible, first, to put down effectually the rapacious 

 reptiles, and then to thin the ranks of the rapacious birds, 

 the result would be a prodigious increase in the numbers 

 of the game and other defenceless creatures on which they 



