wintbk in the marshes. 425 



Geese and Ducks. 



It is unnecessary to add more than a mere list of the 

 various Anatidce to be met with in winter in Southern 

 Spain. 



Grey geese arrive in thousands in November to remain 

 till February. Our best bags (flight- shooting) are : in one 

 day, 81 ; in four days, 247. This was in November, 1889. 

 The great majority of these are greylags, the remainder 

 being of the " bean " description. We have shot no other 

 species, though others occur. The Spanish name for all 

 geese is anseres or gansos. 



Mallard (pato real). — Common at all seasons. 



Pintail (rabudo). — Abundant in icet winters ; in dry 

 seasons they pass on into Africa. 



Shoveler (paleton). — Abundant every winter. 



Gadwall (friso, or silbon real). — Bather scarce in winter ; 

 a few breed in Andalucia. 



Wigeon (silbon). — In millions, October till March. 



Garganey (capitanes, or caretones) . — Irregular ; some years 

 many are shot in November, and again in March. 



Teal (zarceta). — Come in clouds in October. 



Marbled Duck (pardilla, or ruhilla). — A summer duck, 

 rarely seen after the end of November. Eeturns in 

 March, and breeds in hundreds. 



Pochard (cabezon) . — Only locally common, in winter. 



Tufted Duck. — Have shot these occasionally on the rivers 

 in winter, and up to April. 



White-eyed Pochard (negrete) . — Chiefly a summer duck, 

 but common in November and early December, and again 

 in February. 



White-faced Duck (porron). — Another summer duck, not 

 seen in mid- winter. 



Scoter (pato negro). — In big flights on the coast in winter : 

 shot a drake on Guadalquivir, April 8th. 



Merganser. — Once or twice shot in winter — the only 

 member of the mergince. we have met with. 



Sheld-duck (pato-tarro, or ansareta). — Several shot in 

 winter in marisma. Some remain to breed. 



