ANDALUCIA. 
27 
(I am sorry to say there are some) who make a regular trade 
under the name of Ornithology, and are never satisfied unless 
killing or having killed as many rare birds as possible. 
It will be seen that there is some sport to be had in 
Andalucia; and the shooting has the charm of a varied bag, 
and the freedom to wander where you like, as a rule ; added 
to which it is necessary to work for your game, which, in my 
idea, adds much to the pleasure of the sport. The climate, 
too, is all that can be wished, especially in spring, when there 
is something most exhilarating in the air; but in autumn, 
until October, it is too warm to go out with pleasure, and 
the sun-baked, tawny, dusty, thirsty-looking country has lost 
aU the beauty of its flowers and has none of the verdure of 
spring. To see Andalucia, it should be visited in March, 
April, and May, in order to thoroughly appreciate both the 
climate and the scenery. 
Another hint which I would fain give is to be as civil as 
possible, and conform to the customs of the country. The 
Andalucian peasant, courteous and polite, is at heart a caba- 
llero, and very different from the inhabitants of the towns ; at 
the same time he is proud and independent, and, to humour 
him, must be treated with on terms of equality. Above all 
things remember that it is ho use attempting to hurry in 
Spain, where patience is more severely taxed than in any 
other country, and where no corre priesa is the order of the 
day. Certainly the best cure for impatience is to pass a 
few months among Spaniards. 
I must here bring this Introductory Chapter to an end, at 
the same time apologizing for its shortcomings in the fact 
that it is the concoction of one who detests pen, ink, and 
paper, and who is more at home with the gun, rifle, or 
fishing-rod; so, in the manner of the country which to me 
has so many charms, let me conclude with the farewell and 
time-honoured salutation, Vaya Vd. con Dios. 
