48 WILD SPAIN. 



The second band required a good deal of finding : 

 although Bias was confident he had correctly localized them, 

 we could descry no bustards anywhere in that neigh- 

 bourhood. At length one of our scouts brought us good 

 news ; the birds had walked more than a mile from where 

 Bias had seen them in the early morning. We now waited 

 for him to reconnoitre, and he soon reported that they 

 were basking in the sun amidst a sea of shooting barley-^a 

 fact we shortly verified with our field-glasses. Not only were 

 they so favourably placed for a stalk that we would be able 

 to "horseshoe" the four guns behind them at almost 

 certain distance, but the drivers (by a long detour) would 

 also get wellin at the front of their position unseen. The 

 two centre guns were placed in the valley at the foot of the 

 green slope, while the two flanking guns were enabled, by 

 the favouring ground, to creep well up the hillside — a dis- 

 position which would leave the birds wholly enclosed at 

 their first flight. The central posts had also the advantage 

 of a rank growth of weeds along the hollow, which 

 effectually concealed them from view. It was a short 

 affair. The writer (left flank) soon heard the whirr of 

 heavy wings : the game passed between him and the oppo- 

 site flanking gun, out of shot of either, but " entering " 

 beautifully to the centre. Both guns rose to watch the 

 tableau. Straight as a line passed forward the huge 

 barbones — some five-and-twenty of them, the resplendent 

 plumage of rich orange and contrasting black and white 

 set off against the green background ; their great swollen 

 necks appeared almost disproportionately heavy, even for 

 those broad pinions and (seemingly) leisurely flight. But 

 bustards, like all heavy game, travel vastly quicker than 

 appears to be the case, as the sequel proved. 



Now they are on the very fringe of the darker green of 

 the hollow ; our centre guns have them at their mercy. 

 Don't they see them ? Yes ; two figures rise from the rank 

 weeds, and flashing barrels enfilade the flock. One, two, 

 three, four reports ring out ; but .... not a bird comes down! 

 the frightened monsters spread asunder, winging a quicker 

 flight in all directions. One huge barbado behind the rest 



