424 WILD SPAIN. 



only a sharp beak, and an eye which seemed to be a part 

 thereof; the whole slim object pointing vertically heavenward. 

 Next moment the insignificant point developed into a huge 

 brown bird — more and more expanses of brown feathers 

 emerged from the sedge till a pair of heavy green hanging 

 legs wound up the procession. When both barrels were 

 emptied, I had time to perceive that a bittern was slowly 

 flapping away. 



Those were bitter moments : but since then we have killed 

 many a bittern while snipe-shooting, and could have killed 

 many more had there been any object ; for they he very 

 close, and offer a mark like a haystack. 



According to the Spanish peasants, the flesh of the 

 bittern is health-giving (muy saludable) : and the same 

 worthies also state that the strange boom is produced 

 with the beak half-immersed in water. 



Kails, Ceakes, etc. 



The landrail, reversing its home habits, is only found in 

 Spain in autumn and winter, its well-known spring-note 

 being never heard in this southern land. The common 

 water-rail, the spotted crake and Baillon's crake are all 

 three abundant in winter in the marshes — more so than in 

 spring : and we have also shot the small (unspotted) crake 

 — on one occasion, one of these intensely-skulking birds was 

 induced to take wing by a dead snipe falling right on to 

 his strangely compressed little body. 



Water-hens are as common as at home ; and at rare 

 intervals the great purple water-hen is sprung by the spaniels 

 from some sedgy morass. This fine bird, like the crakes, 

 is very difficult to flush ; but on occasion, when burning 

 the cane-brakes to drive out deer, wild cats, &c, we have 

 seen two or three in a day. 



Coots (two species) in certain localities afford fine sport, 

 by " driving " with a number of boats : we have bagged 

 thus over 100 in a day, besides other wildfowl ; and grebes, 

 also of two species, besides the little dabchick, are also 

 abundant. 



