Lord Lilford on the Ornifhology of Spain. 167 



and the neighbourhood of Valencia, which localities in birds are 

 probably richer than, or at least as rich as, any in the country. 

 I only speak of the other provinces on the authority of others ; 

 for instance, Senor M. de la Paz Graells, Curator of the Natural 

 History department at the Museum of Madrid ; and Senor Cis- 

 ternas, who fills the same place at that of Valencia. Many por- 

 tions of the interior of Spain, such as La Mancha, and parts of 

 Murcia and the Castiles, are unfavourable to all but a few forms 

 of bird life, being arid and treeless ; but even in these regions 

 the observer may meet with species rare in other parts of Europe, 

 such as the two species of Sand-Grouse, Pterocles arenarius and 

 P. alchata, and no doubt many other forms usually ascribed to 

 the fauna of North America rather than to that of Europe. 

 Before I visited Spain, which country, par parenthese, had always 

 been the subject of my youthful day and night dreams, I was 

 assured by many of my acquaintances (I cannot call them 

 friends) that not only was there nothing to be had there in the 

 way of sport, but that there were literally no birds except Larks 

 and Hoopoes ; in fact, that the country possessed no attractions 

 beyond a few ruins, some good pictures, the bull- fights, and the 

 beauty of the female population. As to sport I can say little, 

 never having been in Spain at the proper seasons ; but I can 

 speak as to the abundance and variety of game in the unfre- 

 quented districts ; and I trust that the following notes will prove 

 that Spain " has something still to show " in the way of birds, 

 although it certainly is true that, in travelling by rail or diligence, 

 very few are to be seen throughout a great extent of country. 

 I suppose I must make a clean breast of it, and plead guilty to 

 an infatuation in favour of everything Spanish, except her bonds 

 and coupons; but I have at all events good argument for this 

 weakness, if weakness it be, having made many friends, and 

 shaken off a bitter enemy, viz. rheumatism, in Spain ; and ill 

 would it become me not to bear testimony to the extreme cour- 

 tesy I have met with from all classes; to the great pleasure I have 

 experienced in listening to, reading, and learning the glorious 

 language, and the enjoyment of riding over the fragrant dehesas 

 and rugged sierras of Andalucia. Even the gazpacho and olla 

 have a charm for me ; and I aver that the flavour of garlic recalls 



N. S, VOL. I. N 



