188



Ninth International Ornithological Congress



The party left Paris in the evening of Sunday, 15th May, still

shepherded by Monsieur Jean Delacour, the indefatigable Secretary

of the Congress, and arrived at 6.30 the next morning in Arles. At

9.30 the members of the Congress were received by the Mayor in the

Town Hall where they were given a speech of welcome and champagne.

After this the morning was spent in visiting the town and its many

beautiful and interesting Roman buildings, most striking among these

being the open-air theatre, where plays are still produced, and the

large amphitheatre. In the afternoon the whole party was taken to

Nimes where the Natural History Museum was visited and an official

welcome given by the Director. The party then drove to Aigues Mortes

and finally a visit was made to the Petite Camargue to see a colony of

Little Egrets, Night Herons, and Squacco Herons. The colony is

situated in a wood in the sand dunes and as we approached all the

birds rose into the air which made a wonderful sight. There were about

200 nests of Little Egrets and Night Herons and about six of the

Squacco Heron. The wood was also full of Nightingales, all singing ;

in fact this bird is a striking feature of the whole Camargue for w r herever

there is a suitable bush or tree a Nightingale is sure to be heard singing

all day long.


All through the night a Scops Owl was calling from the trees just

outside the hotel and at 6.30 the next morning the party started off

in charabancs for the long excursion to the Grande Camargue, in

torrential rain and a thunderstorm.


The whole Camargue is a wonderful place, triangular in shape,

between the two arms of the Rhone as it branches before flowing into

the Mediterranean, and it is probable that years ago it used to be a

gulf, but has gradually silted up and formed a flat sandy area of very

interesting country. There are a series of shallow brackish lakes, reed

beds, marshland and sand dunes covered with bushes and coarse

grass ; farther inland are sweet water lakes, low growing trees, woods,

and agricultural land. This naturally suits all sorts of birds and is

an excellent stopping place for migrants on their way north after crossing

the Mediterranean ; also, of course, a great number remain to nest.


A large area has been established as a reserve, under the direction

of Monsieur M. Tallon, by the Societe Nationale d’Acclimatation de



