the Ornithology of Spain, 173 



society of some of the best sportsmen of the neighbourhood, no- 

 thing of rarity was brought to bag. Marsh-Harriers (C«-cM6r arugi- 

 nosus) and Kestrels {Tinnunculus alaudarius) were extremely 

 abundant ; and in the course of the day one was sure to see 

 either Aquila bonellii or Circaetus gallicus, or both^ hunting over 

 the marshes and cane-brakes ; but they always kept out of range 

 even of a wire cartridge. All of the former that I then observed 

 were adults ; and the Museum possesses a very fine specimen, 

 also an enormous female of the latter species. The Osprey 

 {Pandiun haliceetus) also was sometimes to be recognized. The 

 usual bag consisted of Woodcock {Scolopax rusticola), Common 

 and a few Jack Snipe { Gallinago scolopacinus and G.gallinula) , Wild 

 Duck, Teal {Anas boschas and A. creccd), on the drier ground 

 Lapwing {Vanellus cristatus), Golden Plover [Charadrius plu- 

 vialis), and a few Quail [Coturnix communis) among the cotton- 

 plantations ; but the main body of the last does not arrive till 

 April. In the market, which I visited regularly, I observed abun- 

 dance of Red-legged Partridge, Golden Plover, Stone-Curlew 

 {CEdicnemus crepitans) ,ivom the dry watercourse of theGuadalme- 

 dina, a few Black-tailed Godvvit [Limosa degocephala), and also one 

 Grey Plover {Squatarola helvetica) and one Dotterel {Eudromias 

 morinellus). In the market for small birds were strings of our Sky- 

 lark and Great Bunting [Emberiza miliaria), mingled with a few 

 Cirls and Ortolans [E. hortulana), Crested and Calandra-Larks 

 {Alauda cristata and A. calandra). Sparrows were also largely 

 consumed ; and from the huge piles I picked out fine specimens 

 of Petronia stulta and Passer hispaniolensis. The Song-Thrush 

 [Tardus musicus) was also to be seen by hundreds, and Red- 

 wings by scores every morning ; but never, amongst the thou- 

 sands which in the course of my residence I examined, did I 

 detect a single Fieldfare {T. pilaris), nor did I ever hear its 

 note when shooting. This is strange, as the Redwing, an in- 

 habitant of equally northern latitudes, is almost as abundant in 

 winter as the Song-Thrush. I need not, however, further specify 

 the birds of little interest with which I became acquainted. 



The winter of 1867-68 was unusually severe ; and wolves 

 having made their appearance in the Sierra de Gaitanes, I 

 joined a shooting-party, and thus became acquainted with a 



