Wildtow]l-shooting in the Marisma 111 
Other species also form magafonas, but more rarely and 
never in sO conspicuous a manner as the wigeon. The habit 
certainly springs from what we have elsewhere termed a “‘ pseudo- 
erotic” instinct (see Bird-life of the Borders, 2nd ed., pp. 208, 
234-5), and is probably the first pairing of birds which have just 
then reached full maturity. 
From mid-February to the end of March ducks are constantly 
departing northwards whenever conditions favour, to wit, a 
south-west wind in the afternoon, which wind is a feature of the 
season. Their vacant places are at once filled by an equally 
constant succession of arrivals from the south (Africa), easily 
recognised by rusty stains on their lower plumage (denoting 
ferruginous water) which they lose here within a few days. 
Ducks at this season can find food everywhere in the 
manzanilla, or camomile, which now grows up from the bottom 
and in places covers the shallows with its white, buttercup-like 
flowers. Having food everywhere there is less necessity to fly 
in search of it. It is, however, a curious feature of the season 
that, after the morning-flight (which is shorter than in mid- 
winter), ducks practically suspend all movement from, say, 8 A.M. 
till the daily sea-breeze (Viento de la mar) springs up about 
1 p.m. During these five hours not a wing moves, but no sooner 
has the sea-breeze set in than constant, streams of ducks fly in 
successive detachments from the large open /uczos to the shallower 
feeding-grounds. Thus we have known a late February “bag,” 
which at 2 p.m. had numbered but a miserable half-score, mount 
up before dusk to little short of a hundred. 
Wigeon arrive from the end of September onwards, the great 
influx occurring during the first fortnight of November. They 
commence leaving from mid-February, and by the end of March 
all (save a few belated stragglers) are gone. 
The same remarks apply equally to pintail, shoveler, and teal, 
though, as before remarked, pintail often appear exceptionally 
early—in September,—and are again extremely conspicuous 
(after being scarce all winter) on their return journey—de vuelta 
paso, as it is called—in February. 
Gadwall, preferring deep waters, are not numerous in the 
