8 BRITISH BIRDS. 



my prize to recover myself. I -^vas in a small cave with a sloping floor, 

 on wliicli was built the nest. The view, now that I could look without 

 fear of falling, was most magnificent. The whole plain of La Janda with 

 its lagunas was at my feet ; and I could see the distant Atlantic and the 

 sandy cape of Trafalgar over the Retin hills. The most interesting object 

 to me was the Griffon's nest and one white egg. The nest was a massive 

 affair made of boughs and twigs, very neatly bned with dried grasses and 

 dead palmettoes. The bowl was about the size of a small hand-basin, say 

 fifteen inches in diameter ; and I was much struck with its finish and 

 depth, as I had rather expected to find a mere platform of sticks &c. The 

 rock below it was white with the dung of the birds ; and there was an 

 indescribable sickly odour about the place. I carefully packed the egg in 

 my box ; and, it being out of the question to climb up to where I had 

 dropped from, I was most fortunately able to continue my route in a 

 downward direction. I soon came upon two more nests with eggs, and 

 one empty nest. I now found myself opposite the main fissure of the 

 precipice. As I was walking round into it along a most uncomfortable bit 

 of strata, a fine old Griffon dashed out close to me. I slipped round the 

 corner and swung myself right into the nest. This also contained an egg. 

 Again I found myself in a trap ; for I could not proceed, a wall-like cliff 

 barring further advance ; and although I had j umped off a ledge of strata 

 into a nest, I did not feel inclined to reverse the performance. After a 

 mauvais quart d'heure (during which time, as my friend subsequently told 

 me, he imagined I must have been killed) I struggled up the fissure, until 

 it narrowed itself enough to form good climbing-ground for a chimney- 

 sweep. After ascending fifty feet or more I struck a good substantial 

 ledge, which led me to a series of chasms, one below the other, where I 

 came across five more nests. I soon found that my egg-box was full, and 

 that unless I could devise some means I should be obliged to leave some 

 of the eggs behind. So on reaching a favourable spot I put the eggs in 

 my bag, and whilst doing so dropped the box at my feet. On attempting 

 to stoop to pick it up, I found that I must relinquish my handhold with 

 no chance of finding more lower down; and as I only had foothold enough 

 for one foot, I was obliged to desist and leave the box where it lay. 



" All the nests I visited were much of the type described ; some were 

 larger and some rather less carefully built. They all had the appearance 

 of having been the collection of many nesting-seasons, the lining and a 

 portion of the top sides being the only new additions. 



" Of the eight eggs 1 actually brought away with me on this occasion, 

 six were pure white, one very large specimen was faintly speckled Avith 

 rufous at the larger end, and a small variety was speckled at the smaller 

 end. 



" The whole area of the cliff which the Griffons frequented smelt in the 



