I 26 Unexplored Spain 



certain limited areas — or, to be precise, the summits of two 

 particular hills — for alighting, and this despite their being 

 regularly shot thereat, year after year. 



With the first sign of dawn the earlier arrivals will be heard 

 approaching ; but the bulk of the geese come in about sun-up 

 and onwards till 9 A.M. Geese arriving high (having come pre- 

 sumably from a distance) will sometimes, after a preliminary wheel, 

 suddenly collapse in mid-air, diving and shooting earthwards in 

 a score of curving lines — as teal do, or tumbler-pigeons ; but 

 with these heavy fowl the manoeuvre is executed with surprising 

 grace and command of wing. Their numbers vary on different 

 mornings without any apparent cause ; but it may be laid dowai 

 as a oreneral rule that more will come on clear brioht morninirs 

 than when the dawn is overcast, while rain proves (as in all 

 wildfowling) an upsetting factor. Sometimes, even on favourable 

 mornings, no geese appear. Occasionally, in small numbers, they 

 may visit the sand in afternoon. 



To exploit the advantage afforded by this habit of the geese, 

 it is necessary that the fowler be concealed before dawn in a hole 

 dug for the purpose in the sand — care being taken to utilise any 

 natural concealment, such as a depression Hanked by a steep 

 sand-revetment ; so that, at least from one quarter, the geese 

 may perceive no danger till right over the gun. The hole (or 

 holes, but one is best) must be dug at least twelve hours before, 

 or the newly turned sand will show up dark. Were it not for 

 the risk of wind filling them up with driving sand (a matter of an 

 hour or two), the holes might well be prepared two or even three 

 days Ijeforehand. The excavated material is piled up around 

 the periphery and flattened down smooth, thus forming a raised 

 rampart which screens the suspicious darkness of the interior. 

 Needless to say, the fewer human foot|3rints around the spot, 

 the better. 



Such is the inability exhibited by many sportsmen (not 

 being wildfowlers) to conceal their persons — or even to recognise 

 the virtue of concealment — that, for such, the holes are apt to be 

 made too big, and the geese swerve ofi' at sight of those gaping 

 pits. This indeed is a form of sport that none save wild- 

 fowlers need essay — others merely succeed in thwarting the wdiole 

 enterprise. 



However carefully prepared and skilfully occupied, these holes 



