68 WILD SPAIN. 



the corrida, even should he delegate the presidential chair 

 to some one of higher authority. He is required to 

 examine the bulls before the fight : that is, to see that they 

 bear the Ijrand of the herd advertised, and have no visible 

 defect ; then he must inspect the horses ; even the bande- 

 rillas and the garrochas, the points of which latter must 

 be shortened as autumn approaches. Till the alcalde 

 appears in his tribune, the fight may not commence, and 

 during the spectacle he orders the incoming of each bull, 



AN ESPADA. OR MATADOR. 



the time which the picadors shall occupy with their lances : 

 he directs the trumpets of his attendant heralds to sound 

 the changes in the fight, when banderilleros succeed 

 picadors, and for the final scene, when the matador steps 

 alone upon the arena, with scarlet cloak and gleaming 

 sword. 



It will thus be seen that the presidential function involves 

 a fairly deep knowledge of all the arts and etiquette of 

 tauromachian science. Under intelligent direction, acci- 



