On Small-Game Shooting in Spain 329 



mean wasted ammunition and an empty pot — misfortunes both 

 in his res angustae clomi. We have ourselves, on African veld, 

 where dinner depends on the gun, meted out similar measure to 

 strings of cackling guinea-fowl without compunction ; but in Spain 

 we have never tried the reclamo, nor wish to. 



That the race of redlegs should have survived it all — year in 

 and year out — bespeaks a wondrous fecundity, and has inspired 

 new-born ideas of "preservation," which have been initiated in 

 Spain with marked success. To this subject we refer later. 



Though we have ourselves (maybe from " insular prejudice ") 

 systematically refused to see the reclamo work his trccicherous 

 role, yet many Spanish sportsmen are enthusiastic over the system, 

 which they describe as una faena muy interesante, and are as 

 proud of their call-birds as we of our setters. The reclamos may 

 be of either sex. The cock-partridges become past-masters of the 

 art of calling up their wild rivals from afar ; and by a softer note 

 the wild hen is also lured to her doom — for the dual influences of 

 love and war are both called into play. The male hears the defiant 

 challenge of battle and, all aflame, hurries by alternative flights 

 and runs to seek the unseen challenger. As distance lessens the 

 fire of each taunt increases, and, blind with passion, the luckless 

 champion dashes on to that fatal opening where he is aligned by 

 barrels peeping from the thicket. The female, with more tender 

 purpose, also draws near — the seductive love-note entices ; but, 

 oh ! the wooing o't — a few pellets of lead end that idyll. It is 

 then — when either rival or lover, it matters not which, lies low in 

 death alongside his case — that the well-constituted reclamo shows 

 his fibre. So overcome with savage joy, the narrow cage will 

 scarce contain him as he bursts into exultant pseons of victory. 

 On the other hand, sullen disappointment is exhibited by the 

 decoy when his exploit has only resulted in a missed shot. 



In the spring the female call-note is more effective than that 

 of the male. 



Well-trained reclamos may be worth anything from £2 up to 

 £10. Recently a yearly licence of ten shdlings per bird has been 

 levied. This has either reduced their numbers, or perhaps caused 

 them to be kept more secretly. Formerly a cicada in a tiny cage 

 and a reclamo in its conical prison were contiguous objects in 

 almost every doorway. 



Ground-game is the special favourite of the Spanish cazador. 



