MEDITERRANEAN NOTES 199 



'■'■'March 13//J. Fine morning; to La Corta, Guadal- 

 quivir. We got away in steam launch about 7 a.m., and 

 were conducted down the main river and posted out in 

 the open by Manuel and sons, who also took, up positions. 

 The Algaba people drove the country from La Corta 

 towards us. A great many cranes came over, but high, 

 and none fell, in spite of several barrels from T. and 

 captain. At last a large flock of bustards, apparently 

 mostly, if not all, old males, came at us, and low. T. 

 knocked down one, and one at which I fired two barrels, 

 fell some way behind us and was found. It threatened 

 rain, and thunder growled in the distance, but the 

 weather held up. We had several drives, and altogether 

 managed to bag eight fine old male bustards. Great 

 sport, making up amply for all our previous disappoint- 

 ments in the shooting line. 



" By far the majority of the bustards, of which 

 there are a very great number, are old males, and 

 fly quite low ; some of them have good beards already, 

 and the necks puffy.* Saw a good many pintailed sand 

 grouse, a few snipes, peewits, teal, and a small falcon, 

 which I suggest was a lanner, $. None of the spring 

 pajaros de marisma as yet. Cranes still in vast herds, 

 trumpeting in every direction." 



'■'■March i^th. We found a good many bustards, 



* The male Great Bustard {Otis tarda) develops in the breeding 

 season a tuft of bristly feathers at the base of the bill, and also a 

 gular (throat) pouch which can, at will, be greatly distended. 



