THE STANCHION-GUN IN SPAIN. 



401 



and evening coming on, we were obliged to risk a long- 

 shot, only some six or eight duck were secured. 



To complete this sketch of Spanish punt-gunning, we 

 will briefly narrate the incidents of two other days' sport, 

 as follows : — February 28th. Started at daybreak, taking 

 both the punt and a cabresto pony. The first shot was at 

 eleven teal, of which eight fell to the two barrels (12-bore) ; 

 the second shot realized seven more teal and a marsh - 

 harrier. The latter capture afforded rather a curious 



'THE BITER AND THE BIT.' 



incident : six teal lay dead, the seventh, being a lively 

 cripple (which could fly some distance), I sent Yergara 

 after him in the punt, while we proceeded along-shore 

 with the pony. A large hawk, however, had at once 

 "spotted" the cripple, and an exciting chase ensued — 

 the hawk making stoop after stoop, the teal as often escap- 

 ing by diving. But the dives grew shorter and shorter, 

 and at last we observed that the bird of prey had pre- 

 vailed, for he remained suspended betwixt wind and water 



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