Bird Life in the Spanish Marismas 329 



up to ^Icirc'h a vast inland sea })ec*()nies in time an arid 

 desert. Lca(>iies of tawny mud stretch to the horizon, 

 unbroken by tree or slirul), and baked by the lieat into 

 tlie liardness of })rick. 



Tlie natives suffer very nuieli from fever, but tlie popula- 

 tion is exceedingly scanty. These consist of a few " guardas " 

 to protect the red-deer, wild boars, and other game of the 

 " cotos '" ; some herdsmen in charge of the herds of semi-wild 

 horses and cattle : and a shifting gypsy-like population of 

 charcoal-burners and timber-fellers, who live in huts made 

 of pine-boughs, grass, and nuid. These huts they will erect 

 in a day. I have passed in the evening an inhabited hut of 

 this description where there was none in the morning. 



The Spanish peasant, whether herdsman, charcoal-burner, 

 or what not, is a very good fellow and a keen sportsman, 

 witii the manners of a gentleman ; and I thoroughly enjoyed 

 my stay among them. 



Life in the marismas is enjoyable enough during the 

 day, but the ardent ornithologist has to pay for his pleasure 

 at night. Then the hosts of mosquitoes come forth in their 

 thousands and take their revenge. I have met mosquitoes 

 in various parts of the world, and thought they were bad 

 enough in the W^est Indies and in Newfoundland, but never 

 have I seen them in such numbers or of such bloodthirsty 

 ferocity. Towards the end of the time they were daily, 

 or rather nightly, getting worse, until the only way to get 

 any sleep at all was to mufHe my head in a puggaree 

 sufficiently ])()rous to breathe through, and to draw my 



