420 
Mr. F. C. Selous on 
open water to feed. We also saw two pairs of Sea-Eagles, 
and a nest of these birds, a huge pile of sticks, in a great fir- 
tree placed on the hillside above the lake. This nest we 
did not attempt to inspect, as it was much too late in the 
season for eggs. 
After reaching the inn we had something to eat, and then 
packed up our things and started for Sokia. On the plain 
near the Meander we saw great numbers of Calandra Larks 
{Melanocorypha calandra), but had no time to look for their 
nests. Seeing a Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) enter a hole 
in the bank of the Meander, we dug it out, and besides 
catching the bird obtained six perfectly fresh eggs. We 
reached Mr. B. H-'s house in Sokia soon after 11 
o'clock and got to bed at midnight. 
The next morning, May 15th, we were up at 4 and rode 
to an old deserted farmhouse some three miles from Sokia, 
where we got some more Lesser Kestrels' eggs; we also found 
a large colony of Spanish Sparrows, which had built not only 
all round a Stork’s nest, but also all over the branches of the 
tree in which the Stork's nest stood. There must have been 
more than a hundred Sparrows' nests in this tree, and nearly 
all that I examined contained eggs ; the full and usual clutch 
appearing to be six. On our way back to breakfast we found 
the nest of a Black-headed Bunting (.Emberiza melanocephala ) 
with two eggs; this nest was placed in a high hedge. 
After breakfast we took a look round Mr. H-'s garden, 
and found two Goldfinches' nests and three of the Olivaceous 
Warbler. The Goldfinches' contained second broods, and one 
of the nests was so slightly built that, although the bird was 
sitting on it when we first observed it, the light showed 
through it. The small compact nests of the Olivaceous 
Warblers were built among the spines of a species of fir-tree, 
at a height of ten or twelve feet from the ground, and could 
with difficulty be seen; they all contained fresh eggs, four 
appearing to be the full clutch. At midday I bade adieu to 
my kind friend Mr. B. H-, whose cheery companionship 
and knowledge of Greek and Turkish had added so much 
both to the pleasure and to the success of my trip, and took 
i 
