26 BIRD-HUNTING 



we failed to find any nest. Probably these birds had 

 only just arrived. On the same day we saw Turtle 

 Doves. On the 1 3th of April Cuckoos, Nightingales, 

 and Woodchat Shrikes were observed, and on the 

 1 5th of April there was a sudden invasion of a large 

 flock of Bee-eaters, which sat in rows on the single 

 telegraph wire which passed our door. The beautiful 

 Blue Rock Thrush was fairly common ; we had also 

 seen it at Gibraltar. Dartford Warblers had young 

 birds ; they were very abundant in the tangled scrub 

 growing at the base of the spurs of rocks and the 

 outlying sierras. While searching for a nest of this 



small species M was fortunate enough to put 



off an Egyptian Vulture from her nest in a low rock, 

 and to reach the two richly-coloured eggs by means 

 of his nesting-stick. This is a telescopic arrange- 

 ment fitted at one end with a mirror set at such an 

 angle that the contents of a nest can be easily seen, 

 even though it may be several feet above one's head. 

 There is also a small landing-net in which these 

 contents can be scooped out. 



While here we tried again for an automatic 

 photograph of Vultures, using as bait the head and 

 inside of a kid we had purchased from our host ; but 

 though I carried this bait about from day to day, 

 until it became decidedly offensive, in trying fresh 

 situations, we had no luck. Here, by the by, the 

 Spaniards always declared that our bait didn't smell 



