Lord Lilford on the Ornithology of Spain. 379 



lying in wait — near a patch of a certain plant with a white 

 flower, which is very common in these plains, but the name of 

 which I do not remember — until one hears a faint clicking note 

 unlike that of any other bird with which I am acquainted, and 

 impossible to describe accurately : this, it appears, is the love- 

 call of the male ; and on hearing it Manuel used to signal to me 

 to advance upon the spot whence it came, he keeping in line 

 with me at about a gunshot off. The male bird always rose 

 first, with a great clatter of wings and a sort of crowing chuckle, 

 generally a long shot off, whilst the hen lay close till nearly 

 trodden upon, or sprung by the dogs. 



These birds were now pairing, but had not yet begun to lay ; 

 I found that, unless the clicking rote had commenced, it was 

 merely vexation of spirit to try to get a shot on foot, although 

 on horseback or on wheels one may approach the birds very 

 closely. We found both species of Sand-Grouse {Pterocles 

 arenarius and P. alchata) in considerable numbers; but it is 

 only by chance that a shot at them is to be got by fair means. 

 I did manage on this occasion to bag a beautiful specimen of 

 the latter species out of a large flock which rose at a long distance. 

 The recognized way of shooting Sand-Grouse in Spain is by 

 waiting at their drinking-places in the early morning and even- 

 ing during the great heats of summer. Both the above-named 

 species are common in many pai'ts of the Castiles, La Mancha, 

 Murcia, Andalucia, Estremadura, and again in some districts of 

 Aragon and Catalonia. The black-breasted species (P. arenarius) 

 is known in Spain as " Ortega " or " Churra ;" whilst P. alchata 

 is universally called " Ganga." They delight in the barest and 

 most stony localities they can find, and even in hungry Spain 

 are considered " muy mala came." Both species of Bustard 

 are, on the contrary, in my opinion, excellent eating, the Otis 

 tetrax taking the place and name of " Faisan " at the tables 

 d'hote in Spanish hotels, as the Black Grouse does at those of 

 Northern Italy. The Stone-Curlew {(Edicnemus crepitans) is 

 very common in this district, and we shot several of them. 



A pair of Golden Eagles soared over our heads as we sat at 

 luncheon; and Booted Eagles {Aquila pennata) were continually 

 in sight, beating the country harrier-fashion for rabbits and 



