Bird Life in the Spanish Marismas 



271 



al)le garnieiit for such a climate, where the winds are of 

 an icy coldness. 



At one of the moinitain stations a party of sportsmen 

 aliffhted, and I watched tliem mounting' their liorses, which 

 were waiting outside in charge of two or tliree keepers. 

 One of the ''guns" carried a large Parrot's cage, in whicli 



Kite's Nest with Young (Milviis rcgalis). 



was a ''Reclamo," a tame cock Partridge, a Red-leg (our 

 Partridge being unknown south of tlie Pyrenees), whose 

 call was to be used to attract his kith and kin within reach 

 of the ambushed guns. This is the usual Spanish fashion 

 of shooting Partridges ! 



Through a gap in the mountains the line passed close 

 to the Escurial, and brilliant uniforms and many ladies 



