the Birds of Santander. 175 



is one solitary yew in the churchy ard at Lebena ; but, except 

 this, no conifers of any kind were noticed. 



The flora is rich in alpine plants; Gentiana acaulis, Pin- 

 guicola lusitanica, and Aquilegia pyrenaica are extremely 

 abundant. On the hill-tops in places are acres of cyclamens, 

 and we met with a gigantic daffodil [Narcissus). Our main 

 object in visiting this country was to shoot a Spanish bear; 

 but, after several beats, we were unsuccessful ; the quarry, 

 when started, would always go the wrong way, and never 

 pass near our posts. Although some of the local " cazadores '■* 

 had, or said they had, fruitless shots, all we saw of the bears 

 was their foot-prints. Vast tracts of the hill-sides were 

 beaten up to us ; the beaters ate enormous quantities of ham, 

 bread and sausages, and drank many skins of wine; but, 

 beyond enjoying the views, which well repaid our trouble, 

 and seeing Picus martins (a novel sight to me), the result 

 was nil. 



These bear-hunts were always headed by the cura of Be- 

 doya, a jolly little priest, with a merry eye, in lay costume with 

 the exception of his white collar. He was a great " cazador,"*' 

 excessively active and energetic, and was veiy proud of an 

 ardent spirit illicitly manufactured, the strength of which 

 exceeded any thing of the sort I have ever seen ; liquid 

 fire would be the only name for it. In spite of these pro- 

 clivities, he did not neglect his sacerdotal duties, as one morn- 

 ing at daybreak found us at the chapel of La Virgen de la 

 Luz, an isolated shrine at an elevation of 4100 feet. The 

 door was unlocked; our cura entered and, donning some robes, 

 forthwith performed mass, the beaters with much devotion 

 forming the congregation. These curas, mostly uneducated 

 men, have great authority in their respective villages, and are 

 often to be seen riding with their housekeepers on a pillion 

 to the market at Potes. There is a good posada at Potes ; and 

 from the village is a grand panorama — the Picos de Europa 

 (8786 feet), with vast masses of snow, forming a fine back- 

 ground to the view. Alas ! we were unable to ascend far ; 

 but there are said to be many chamois (rebecos), as in other 

 ranges ; we saw some on the Pena Segra above La Virgen 



