Wildfowl-shooting in the Marisma 107 
down upon that glassy surface. Within brief minutes the whole 
expanse is darkened as with a carpet. 
Upon this lucto the assembled ducks command a view for 
miles around. Hardly could a water-rat approach unseen. If 
the fowl persisted in passing the entire day thereon, no human 
power would avail to molest them—they could bid defiance to 
fowlers of every race and breed. Two circumstances, however, 
favour their human foes. The first is the perpetual disturbance 
created among those floating hosts by birds-of-prey. These— 
chiefly marsh-harriers, but including also the great black-backed 
gulls—execute perpetual “ feints” at the swimming ducks, sections 
of which (often thousands strong) are compelled to rise on wing by 
the menacing danger. The dominant idea actuating the raptores 
(since they are unable to attack the main bodies) is to ascertain 
if one or more wounded ducks remain afloat after their sound 
companions have cleared—the cripples, of course, affording an 
easy prey. The disturbed fowl will not fly far, perhaps half-a- 
mile, unless indeed they happen during that flight to catch sight 
of an attractive fleet of “decoys” moored in some quiet creek a 
mile or so away. 
The second favouring circumstance arises from a difference in 
habit between ducks in Spain and their relatives (even con- 
specific) inhabiting British waters. For whereas the latter, as a 
rule, will remain quiescent in their selected resting-places the 
livelong day, in Spain, on the contrary, by about 11 a.M., the 
force of hunger begins visibly to operate—not in all, but in 
sections, which, rising in detachments, separate themselves from 
the masses and commence exploratory cruises among the smaller 
and shallower lducios where food may be found.’ This inter- 
mittent flight slackens off for an hour or so at midday, is 
renewed in the afternoon, and stops dead one hour before 
sun-down. 
To exploit the advantage offered by these habits it is 
necessary to ascertain to which of the innumerable minor 
lucios these “‘ hunger-marchers” are resorting. Observation will 
have decided that point, and our expert gunner now (at 11 A.M.) 
be concealed with scrupulous care, and his fleet of, say, fifty 
decoys set out in lifelike and (or) attractive attitudes, exactly in 
1 In the big and deep Jucios no plant-life exists, nor could surface-feeding ducks reach 
down to it even if subaquatic herbage of any kind did grow there. 
