[37] The highest point of the Riscos appeared to be about 7,000 ft., and commanded a superb panorama of the whole Sierra de Gredos, with its towering peaks and snow-fields stretching away to their apex in the Plaza de Almanzor. With regard to altitudes, we here write with some uncertainty, as our aneroid, after being depressed to twenty-one inches, appeared to exhibit some irregularities, and had possibly suffered some internal or constitutional injury.
[38] We succeeded in taking several eggs of this bird in the crevices of a sheer crag, after a somewhat perilous climb. These eggs are very light-coloured; the ground colour is pale cream, faintly spotted with brown and dull greyish splashes.
[39] Specific names not guaranteed.
[40] We found a nest of the Sandpiper (Tolanus hypoleucus) with four nearly fresh eggs on May 23rd—Provincia de Santandér.
[41] This transformation of colour is well represented (though not designedly so) by the two plates at p. 88 of Dr. Bree's "Birds of Europe" (2nd ed.). The "Tawny Eagle" there figured might be a young Imperial of, say, two months old; while Aquila culleni, so far as colour is concerned, would do duty for the same bird at two years.
[42] Now in the Hancock Museum at Newcastle.
[43] The Rock-Martins' nests were fixed under the roof and upper ledges of the caves, not unlike Swallows'. Their eggs are white, slightly flecked with grey. At the same date (May 18th) we also obtained a nest of the Blue Rock-Thrush, with five beautiful greenish-blue eggs. The male, during the breeding-season, has a pretty habit of towering up in the air, singing merrily, then falling back among the rocks like a stone.
[44] Observed at this place and date a greater variety of butterflies than ever before in Spain—brilliant Painted Ladies and Fritillaries (?sp.); but most conspicuous were "yellows" of various kinds: Thäis polyxena and Colias edusa, large pale "sulphurs," some whole-coloured, others with bright orange-tips; in others, again, the orange adjoined the body. There were also many Heaths and Browns, Speckled Wood, Bath Whites, and many (to us) unknown species.
[45] One nest still contained an unfledged youngster. On my appearance at his abode the unsightly little brute at once disgorged a mass of carrion that necessitated an immediate retreat.
[46] Of the 8,529,600 separate rural properties which exist on the Spanish land-register, 2,729,600 are administered and cultivated for the account of their proprietors; and 800,000 are let at a rental, either in cash or "kind."