On Small-Game Shooting in Spain 333 



to terrible enemies in the eagles, kites, and hawks of every 

 description ; while lynxes, wild-cats, foxes, and other beasts-of- 

 prey take daily and nightly toll ; then in spring their eggs are 

 devoured by the big lizards, by harriers, mongoose, and magpies 

 in thousands. We have recently endeavoured to increase their 

 numbers by grubbing up 300 acres of scrub and cultivating wheat. 

 But here again Nature opposes us. Deer break down the fences, 

 ionore our ojuards armed with lanterns and blank cartridge, 

 trample down more than they eat, and the rabbits finish the 

 rest ! Moreover, in wet seasons the ground is flooded, the 

 crops destroyed ; while, if too dry, the seed will not germinate, 

 and all the time the unkillable brushwood comes and comes 

 again. 



Forty or fifty brace represent average days ; though it is fair 

 to add that they are but few who fully avail the fleeting oppor- 

 tunities at those back-swerving dots in the sky. 



Eabbits 



The cistus plains abound with rabbits. One sees them by 

 scores moving ahead, but just beyond gunshot range, which they 

 calculate to a nicety. Others dart from underfoot to disappear 

 in an instant in the cover. Few are shot while walking ; but 

 some pretty sport is obtainable by short drives, say a quarter- 

 mile. The line of keepers and beaters ride round to windward, 

 encircling some well-stocked bush ; then slowly and noisily, with 

 frequent halts, advance down -wind — the rabbit is as susceptible 

 of scent as a deer. Meanwhile the dogs are having a rare time 

 of it hustling the bunnies forward. The guns are placed each to 

 command some clear spot, for where scrub grows thick nothing 

 can be seen. A momentary glimpse is all one gets, and snap- 

 shooting essential. The most favourable spots are where a strip 

 of open ground lies immediately behind the guns. The rabbits 

 fairly fly this, a dozen at a time, and at speed that suggests 

 some one having set fire to their tails. 



In days of phenomenal bags, our Spanish totals read humble 

 enough. We frequently kill a hundred or more rabbits in two 

 or three short drives, besides such partridge as may also have been 

 enclosed. Were a whole day devoted to rabbits alone, much 

 greater numbers would of course result. But having such variety 

 of resource at disposal (to say nothing of dithculty in disposing 



