Al'RIL 20, 1893] 



NA rURE 



583 



succession ; while single and imperfect specimens are mere pit- 

 falls. No imperfect or indistinct leaves, unless they possess 

 exceptional characters, should be named, since however faith- 

 fully described or figured, they are simply confusing. 



J. Stakkie Gardner. 



WILD SPAIN.^ 



I'' HERE seems to be no limit in these days to the 

 demand for books on popular natural history, 

 especially when they combine a certain amount of science 

 with a sporting element. The present volume, in which 

 the authors endeavour to describe Spain from "a point 

 of view hitherto almost unoccupied, that of the sports- 

 man-naturalist," excellently illustrated as it is, will, no 

 doubt, attract a host of readers, for it deserves to do so. 

 One of the joint authors, Mr. Abel Chapman is already 

 known to us as a writer on the bird-life of the Scotch 

 Borders, and as an ornithologist who has laboured very 

 successfully on the birds of Spain. His coadjutor, Mr. 

 Walter Buck, who is resident at Jerez, has long devoted 

 himself to the exploration of the lower valley of the 

 Guadalquivir and the bordering Sierras — the most inter- 

 esting districts of the whole peninsula. 



Although the larger mammals of Spain are by no 

 means neglected, and even such extraneous subjects as 

 corn, wine, oil, brigands and gypsies are cursorily treated 

 of, " Wild Life in Spain" is emphatically a " bird-book." 

 After their digressions on other points the authors return 

 to their feathered favourites with a zest which shows that 

 the study of the bird-life of the peninsula, combined no 

 doubt with an ardent love of " la chasse," was the 

 primary object of their wanderings. 



In the fauna of Wild Spain the abundance of the 

 larger birds of prey forms a very prominent feature, and 

 several chapters are well devoted to this part of the 

 subject. Almost all the finest and largest Raptors of the 

 European ornis are to be met with in Spain. To the 

 ornithologist, who in these latter days may search the 

 greater part of " Wild Britain " without finding anything 

 more exciting than a stray kestrel or a fugitive sparrow- 

 hawk, this superabundance of the larger Falconida; must 

 prove a great attraction. Eagle-shooting, which would 

 be a fearful crime in England, is allowable, if not praise- 

 worthy, in the Spanish peninsuLi, and even an occasional 

 vulture may be killed without much harm being done. 

 Moreover Spain is fortunate in possessing an eagle of 

 its own, called by modern naturalists Aquila adalberfi, 

 which is in fact a local form of the Imperial eagle of 

 South-eastern Europe. But the Adalbert's eagle is remark- 

 able as showing several successive stages of plumage 

 which do not appear to occur in its near ally. On these 

 we have much information in the pre=;ent volume from 

 actual experience, which seems to prove that the Spanish 

 Imperial eagle breeds indiscriminately in its youthful and 

 adult liveries, birds in fully adult plumage having been 

 found paired with otheis in the younger forms of dress. 

 I Besides eight or nine eagles two large vultures are 

 abundant in the south of Spain, and the celebrated 

 Lammergeier of the Alps known to the Andalucians by 

 the appropriate name of " Quebranta huesos'" or " bone- 

 snatcher " is likewise still to be met with. How the eyries 

 of this giant bird, situated in the mountains eastward of 

 Jerez were visited and ransacked is told to us in two 

 attractive chapters. As the breeding-season of the Lam- 

 mergeier begins in January, when the Sierras are still 

 under snow and the weather is inclined to be severe, such 

 an expedition is by no means free from inconveniences. 



Even in wild Spain, we regret to say, the Lammergeier 



< " Wild Spain (Espafi i agresle). Records of Spo-t wLh Rifle, Rod and 

 N, Naiural History and Exploration." By Abel Chapman, F.Z S , 

 Walter J. Buck, C.M.Z.S., of Jerez. With 174 illustrations, mottly 

 tie author.,. (London : Gurney and Jackson, 1893.) 



NO. 1225 VOL. 47] 



is yearly decreasing in numbers. " A decade ago they 

 were fairly numerous in the vast area of rock-mountains 

 which stretch between Granada and Jaen. To-day a 

 week may be spent in that district without even so much 

 as a distant view of this grand bird. The reason is un- 

 questionably the use of poison, which is laid out broad- 

 cast by the goat-herds for the special benefit of wolve?,. 

 but which is equally fatal to the Lammergeiers " 



Another leading feature in the Spanish ornis is the 

 Great Bustard, still abundant in Andalucia "on those 

 vait stretches of silent corn-lands which form its home."^ 

 " Big days with bustard," the various modes of its chasse 

 and the principal features of its life are well described in 

 " Wild Spain." It is curious that the authors do not seem 

 to have been able to ascertain positively whether this 

 bird is monogamous or polygamous. Even during the 

 pairing season each band of bustards is composed of 

 mixed sexes, the females preponderating, until the latter 

 skulk ofif to perform the duties of incubation, and leave 

 the males all together in separate packs. Bustard-shoot- 

 ing must indeed be glorious sport. Oh, that Salisbury 





j^^ -^ 



^-^\ M ^1. 



Male Gieat Bustard, showing ofT. 



Plain could be restocked with this now nearly extinct 

 (English) bird ! 



Next to the bustard the flamingo is perhaps one of the 

 most attractive objects to the explorer of the wilds of 

 Andalucia. In some seasons flamingoes visit the 

 marismas in enormous flocks ; in other years they are 

 extremely scarce. In 1883 Mr. C'l.ipman found them 

 abundant in the month of April, and searched the 

 country over a large area systematically, in the hope of 

 finding their breeding-places. The exact fashion in which 

 this bird sits upon its nest had long been a matter of 

 controversy, and it was hoped that this interesting point 

 might now be definitely settled. But in April all etforts 

 were unsuccessful— it was evident the birds had not yet 

 begun to breed— and a smart attack of ague was the only 

 result of splashing about from day to day in the mud and 

 water, with a fierce sun beating down upon the 

 ornithologist's head. In May, however, during an, 



