268 



WILD SPAIN. 



a Marsh-Harrier soared from her nest. Among the ducks 

 which whistled around and overhead were many of a 

 small dark species unknown to us. These appeared loth 

 to leave, and after the others had disappeared, continued 

 circling round, high in the air, with rapid rustling flight 

 like that of a Golden-eye. By creeping out to a rush- 

 clad point we lay concealed between sedges and a thicket 

 of briar, and here soon shot several of these ducks, as 

 well as Mallard, Garganey, and another Gadwall or two. 

 The unknown birds proved to be the White-eyed Pochard, 

 or Ferruginous Duck (Fuligtda nyroca) which evidently 

 intended to breed here, though a search for their nests 

 proved futile. A month later, however (in May), we 

 obtained nests both of this Pochard and of the Gadwall, 

 both built among rushes on dry ground. The Gadwall 

 — inappropriately termed in Spanish " Silbon real " (i.e. 

 king-wigeon, or whistler) — is a very silent duck, and 

 always seen in pairs. In May we found them singly, 

 those shot then being all drakes rising from small sedgy 

 pools. 



The Garganey are fairly numerous on these lagoons in 

 spring; yet though — especially in wet seasons — they 

 certainly breed there, we have never discovered a nest. 

 The marshmen (who know the different kinds of duck as 

 well as most people) assert positively that in very wet 

 springs a few pairs of the Common Teal also remain to 

 breed. 



Among the tall juneales, or reed-beds, in mid-water, 

 abode numerous aquatic warblers — notably the Great 

 Sedge- Warbler, Cetti's, and the Eeed- Warbler, the loud 

 grating song of the former is incessant : but owing to 

 the depth of water and mud, and the maze of rank 

 weeds, such spots are difficult to explore. The Melodious 

 Warbler (Hypolais polyglotta) nests on bushes and sallows 

 on the drier ground : while the little Fantails (Cisticola) 

 build their pretty purse-shaped nests on the shorter 

 rushes along the margin. A peculiarity of this tiny 

 bird is that it lays eggs of wholly different colours — 

 though not in the same nest — some clutches being pale 



