I I 2 



Unexplored Spain 



shallow marisma. A big bag therein, nevertheless, will always 

 include a few couples of this species. 



Shoveler are so numerous that we have known over eighty 

 bagged by one gun in a day. 



Garganey chieHy occur in early autumn and again de vuelta 

 paso in JMarch. They winter in Africa. 



Marbled duck breed here, and in September large bags may 

 be made ; but in mid- winter (when they have retired to Africa) 

 it is rare to secure more than half-a-dozen or so in a day. They 

 are very bad eating. 



Slielduck only occur in dry seasons. They fall easy victims 

 to any sort of " decoy " provided it is tvhite. A local fowler told 

 us he had killed many by substituting (in default of natural 

 decoys) the dry bones and skulls of cattle ! Ruddy shelduck do 

 not frequent the marisma, preferring the sweeter waters and 

 shallows adjoining Donana. 



Diving-ducks avoid the marisma except only in the wettest 



o 



winters. 



An hour before sun-down, as above* stated, all bird-movement 

 ceases. For a brief space absolute tranquillity reigns over the 

 illimitable marisma. The dusky masses that cover the lucios 

 seem lulled to sleep and silence. But the interlude is very 

 temporary. Hardly has night thrown her mantle across the 

 wastes, than all that tremendous, eager, vital energy is re- 

 awakened to fresh activities. A striking and a memorable 

 experience will be gained by awaiting that exact hour at some 

 favourite feedino'-o-round. Within a few^ minutes, as darkness 

 deepens, the ambient air fairly hisses and surges with the 

 pulsation of thousand strong pinions hurtling close by one's ear, 

 and with the splash of heavy bodies flung down by fifties 

 and hundreds in the shallows almost within arm's-length — the 

 nearest approximation that occurs to us is a bombardment of 

 pompoms. Yet, for all that, night-flighting in the marisma 

 (having regard to the quantities concerned) produces but insigni- 

 ficant results. The ducks come in so low and so direct — no 

 preliminary circling overhead — and at such velocity that this 

 flight-shooting may be likened to an attempt to hit cannon-balls 

 in the dark. Our expert shots score, say, eight or ten, but what is 

 that ? The nocturnal disturbance, moreover, may be (and usually 



