Vlll PREFACE. 



Peninsula — including in the latter expression, by a 

 slight stretch of the term, the brigand and the 

 gypsy, with remarks on agriculture as cognate and 

 supplementary. As far as convenient, the sequence of 

 chapters follows the change of the seasons, commencing 

 with spring-time. Hence the earlier part of the book is 

 more concerned with natural history — though the pur- 

 suit of ibex and bustard may be followed in spring ; 

 while the latter half is more exclusively devoted to 

 sport. 



Long residence in Spain has afforded opportunities 

 which are not available to the casual traveller. Es- 

 pecially is this the case with sport, of which we have, at 

 times, enjoyed some of the best that Spain affords. 

 But it should be remarked that many of the shooting 

 campaigns herein described have been on private and 

 preserved grounds ; and, while we naturally select the 

 more fortunate records, we pass over in silence many a 

 blank day and fruitless effort. Nearly all ground on 

 which large game is found, is preserved, with the ex- 

 ception of remote parts of the sierras, where wild pig 

 and roe may be shot, and those higher mountain-ranges 

 which form the home of ibex and chamois ; moreover, 

 while indicating in general terms the distribution of the 

 various game- and other animals, we have in many 

 instances avoided naming precise localities. 



In describing a foreign land, it is impossible entirely 

 to avoid the use of foreign terms for which, in many 

 cases, no precise equivalents exist in English : but, to 

 minimize this drawback, we append a glossary of all 

 Spanish words used herein. Conversely, lest Spanish 

 readers should misinterpret the title of this book, we 

 have added a translation in the terms Espana Agreste. 



The illustrations consist of reproductions, either from 



