Wildfowl-shootinor in the Marisma i 1 1 



Other species also form magahonas, but more rarely and 

 never in so conspicuous a manner as the wigeon. The habit 

 certainly springs from what we have elsewhere termed a " pseudo- 

 erotic " instinct (see Bird-life of the Borders, 2nd ed., pp. 208, 

 234-5), and is probably the first pairing of birds which have just 

 then reached full maturity. 



From mid-February to the end of March ducks are constantly 

 departing northwards whenever conditions favour, to wit, a 

 south-west wind in the afternoon, which wind is a feature of the 

 season. Their vacant places are at once filled by an equally 

 constant succession of arrivals from the south (Africa), easily 

 recognised by rusty stains on their lower plumage (denoting 

 ferruginous water) which they lose here within a few davs. 



Ducks at this season can find food everywhere in the 

 manzanilla, or camomile, which now grows up from the bottom 

 and in places covers the shallows with its white, buttercup-like 

 flowers. Having food everywhere there is less necessity to fly 

 in search of it. It is, however, a curious feature of the season 

 that, after the morning-flight (which is shorter than in mid- 

 winter), ducks practically suspend all movement from, say, 8 a.m. 

 till the daily sea-breeze [Viento de la mar) springs up about 

 1 P.M. During these five hours not a wing moves, but no sooner 

 has the sea-breeze set in than constant streams of ducks fly in 

 successive detachments from the large open lucios to the shallower 

 feeding-grounds. Thus we have known a late February " bag," 

 which at 2 P.M. had numbered but a miserable half-score, mount 

 up before dusk to little short of a hundred. 



Wigeon arrive from the end of September onwards, the great 

 influx occurring during the first fortnight of November. They 

 commence leaving from mid-February, and by the end of March 

 all (save a few belated stragglers) are gone. 



The same remarks apply equally to pintail, shoveler, and teal, 

 though, as before remarked, pintail often appear exceptionally 

 early — in September, — and are again extremely conspicuous 

 (after being scarce all winter) on their return journey — de vuelta 

 paso, as it is called — in February. 



Gadwall, preferring deep waters, are not numerous in the 



