Birds of Southern Spain. 385 



to the cultivated laud in breeding-time. The peasants call the 

 old males "Barbones^' and " Moriscos/' asserting that they 

 come over in spring from Morocco ; but the word is merely a 

 contraction of " Mariscosos/^ from the flavour of " marisca/' 

 or salt-marsh, which their flesh has at that time. Mr. F. T. 

 Drake^s observations in the 'The Ibis^ (1869, p. 154) show 

 that this species is almost unknown in Morocco, where its 

 place is taken by Otis arabs. 



204. Otis tetrix. " Sison.'* 



Abundant in the higher and broken ground, but rarely found 

 in the level plains frequented by the preceding species. To 

 this Lord Lilford adds, " Your remarks exactly agree with my 

 own observation. On the flat corn-lands they are hardly ever 

 to be seen ; but where the ground undulates, however slightly, 

 there they are — e.g. atAlgaba, in May 1869.^^ This species is 

 a very late breeder, depositing its eggs in the wheat-fields in 

 June. 



205. Otis houbara. 



I have examined two specimens killed in Andalucia. The 

 species seems to be probably overlooked by the natives, and 

 consequently cooked as a sort of " Sison," the flesh of which is 

 esteemed, whereas that of the Great Bustard is considered 

 '' muy basta" or coarse. When riding up from the great plains 

 on 4th May, 1868, under a deluge of rain, we saw a pair of 

 Bustards, which Manuel said were " Sisones ;" but though it 

 struck me at the time that these appeared larger than Otis 

 tetrix, and were in ground not usually frequented by that 

 species, yet, with a swollen flood behind us, and another river 

 in front, whose fordability was more than doubtful, we could 

 not stop even for the chance of a Houbara. 



206. Glareola pratincola. " Canastera.^' 



Abundant in the "marisma,'' where it deposits its eggs, 

 never at any great distance from water, but invariably on dry 

 ground. The eggs never exceed three in number, being often but 

 two, which are laid with their axes parallel. On the wing, this 

 bird has many of the characteristics of the Terns, but on the 



