THROUGH WILD EUROPE 55 



Grey Shrikes and many Woodchat Shrikes sit on 

 the bushes and smaller trees on the watch for 

 passing beetles. This Grey Shrike is not the 

 northern form, Lanius excubitor, but Lanius meri- 

 dionalis, which has the breast vinous coloured ; the 

 former is not found anywhere in Spain. 



In the orange orchards nearer the river we found 

 many Goldfinches' nests, and several nests of Wood- 

 chat Shrike. 



Another nest of the Woodchat, with six eggs, 

 was in a tangled bush at the height of about 

 seven feet from the ground. The only nest of 

 Lanius meridionalis, the Southern Grey Shrike, 

 was also in a very thick bush, but lower down, 

 perhaps five feet from the ground. 



In the orange-trees was a nest of the Orphean 

 Warbler, while Great Tits, called by the Spanish 

 boys Santa Cruz (Holy Cross), from the black 

 throat and breast stripe forming a rude sort of cross, 

 were very abundant, nesting in similar holes and 

 crannies to those usually chosen by these birds at 

 home. 



Nightingales in Spain habitually nest much 

 higher up than is usual in England. In a Jerez 

 garden I saw two nests in bamboos some four feet 

 from the ground. In the same garden was a nest of 

 the Western form of the Olivaceous Warbler (Hy- 

 polais opaca), containing four eggs. This was at a 



