on Spanish Ornithology. 71 



1 to 2 feet, according to the season. Here and there slight 

 elevations of the muddy bottom form low islands, varying 

 from a few yards to thousands of acres in extent, covered 

 with coarse grass, thistles^ and bog-plants, and frequented in 

 spring by great numbers of interesting birds. As the hot 

 weather sets in, the water gradually evaporates, and by the 

 middle of June little remains but in pools. The maris ma is 

 then a vast flat plain of dry mud, scorched and cracked in all 

 directions by the fierce summer sun. A coarse herbage 

 springs up, and near the water-holes beds of rank reeds form 

 the nurseries of the Heron tribe. 



In winter the marisma abounds with wildfowl, chiefly Grey 

 Geese, Duck, Wigeon, Pintail, and Teal. So great are their 

 numbers that a class of professional gunners willingly pay a 

 small rent for the privilege of shooting, and earn a subsistence 

 thereby up to the end of March — this, too, although their 

 artillery and appliances are of the most primitive description. 



Early in April I spent eight or ten days in the marisma, 

 cruising about in punts. The Geese and Wigeon had then 

 entirely disappeared, but passage-Ducks were still numerous 

 in large flights on the open water; these were principally 

 Mallard, with Pochard and Pintail, and probably other 

 species. The local-breeding Mallard were already in pairs 

 along the rushy edges of the marisma, though not yet sitting. 

 In addition to the species above named we obtained a Sho- 

 veller and several Crested Ducks. As late as 13th April I 

 shot a Scoter drake {(Edemia nigra) on the Guadalquivir. 

 These black ducks were very numerous in Avinter along the 

 coast of Portugal. I was also shown, as a curiosity, a Cor- 

 morant which had been shot a day or two previously. 



One cannot go far into the marisma without seeing that 

 extraordinary fowl the Flamingo, certainl}^ the most charac- 

 teristic bird of the wilderness. In herds of 300 to 500, 

 several of which are often in sight at once, they stand feeding 

 in the open water, all their heads under, greedily tearing 

 up the grasses and water-plants from the bottom. On 

 approaching them, which can only be done by extreme 

 caution, their silence is first broken by the sentries, who 



