Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/488

454 Alcedo ispida.—Two Kingfishers were seen—one on a piece of brackish water by the road which runs across the neutral ground to Linea, and another on a hill-stream some five miles inland at Algeciras.

Upupa epops.—One solitary Hoopoe was seen in the Alameda Gardens at Gibraltar in May.

Cuculus canorus.—The Cuckoo occurred at Arosa Bay, Ronda, and about Algeciras. It was, however, considerably scarcer than it usually is in England. The Spanish peasants call this bird by the same name as we do.

Buteo vulgaris.—Buzzards are very common both in the north and south of Spain, more especially in the former. At Arosa Bay a nest was found in March within twenty yards of a high road, along which constant traffic was passing, and close to a fairly large village. The nest was in a small pine-wood, and the birds were extremely tame.

Gyps fulvus.—The Griffon Vulture is very common, perhaps the commonest Raptorial bird in the south of Spain. As many as thirty birds of this species have been noted at one time soaring over the outskirts of Algeciras. The birds are very tame, and are seen quite close to the railway when trains are passing; and about Ronda some of their breeding places are in full view of the line, and at no great distance from considerable villages. It is interesting to see these birds soar to windward, which they undoubtedly can do.

Neophron percnopterus.—The Egyptian Vulture occurs in the hills about Algeciras, but is much scarcer than the preceding species, and much more shy and retiring.

Milvus ictinus.—Kites were only observed in the neighbourhood of Lisbon, where they were very common, and often seen sailing over the town itself, and attacking garbage on the Tagus.

Falco peregrinus.—A pair of Peregrines were seen at Gibraltar, and probably had a nest somewhere on the rock.

F. tinnunculus.—The Kestrel was extremely common in all the districts under consideration. About Arosa Bay every one of the little tors, and every church tower of any height, was tenanted by a pair of these handsome Hawks. At Santiago de Compostela at least half a dozen pairs had their quarters in the great cathedral, and it was a matter of surmise how they found sufficient