Sierra de Gredos 209 



nose — while in the final scene he went in to such close quarters, 

 " passing " the animal at half arm's-length, that tlie whole 

 10,000 in the Plaza held their breath. Parrao will become a 

 first-fiighter, unless he is caught, which certainly seems the more 

 natural event. 



That evening we were hospitably entertained at the British 

 Embassy, where our host, the Charge d'AfFaires, regretted that 

 the short fourteen-days' Ortolan season had just that morning 

 expired. Thus, quite unconsciously, was an ornithological fact 

 elucidated. 



Next morning we were away by an early train, and after 

 five hours' journey joined our staff", as prearranged. But here 

 we committed the mistake of quartering in a country-town on 

 the banks of the Tagus, instead of encamping in the open country 

 outside. Bitterly did we regret having allowed ourselves to be 

 thus persuaded. Long summer heats and parching drought had 

 destroyed what primitive system of natural drainage may have 

 existed in Talavera de la Eeina and produced conditions that we 

 revolt from describino^. Oh ! those foul effluvia amidst which men 

 live, and feed, and sleep ! 



With intense delight, but splitting headaches, we left the 

 plague-spot at earliest dawn and set out for the mountain-land. 

 For thirty odd miles our route traversed a highland plateau ; a 

 group of five great bustard, gasping in the noon-day heat, lay 

 asleep so near the track that we tried a shot with ball. Farther 

 north, near Medina del Campo, we had also observed these grand 

 game-birds feeding on the ripening grapes in the vineyards. 

 Packs of sand-grouse [Pterocles a7'enarius) with musical croak 

 .flew close around. Spanish azure magpies abounded wherever 

 our route passed through wooded stretches, and we also observed 

 doves, bee-eaters, stonechats, crested and calandra larks, ravens, 

 and over some cork-oaks wheeled a serpent-eagle showing very 

 white below. 



Towards evening the track began to ascend through the lower 



defiles of the great cordillera that now pierced the heavens 



ahead. Presently we entered pinewoods, resonant at dusk 



with the raucous voices of millions of wingless grasshoppers or 



locusts (we know not their precise name) that live high up 



in pines. Never before had we heard such strident voice in an 



insect. 



P 



