126 Unexplored Spain 
certain limited areas—or, to be precise, the summits of two 
particular hills—for alighting, and this despite their being 
regularly shot thereat, year after year. 
With the first sign of dawn the earlier arrivals will be heard 
approaching ; but the bulk of the geese come in about sun-up 
and onwards till 9 a.m. Geese arriving high (having come pre- 
sumably from a distance) will sometimes, after a preliminary wheel, 
suddenly collapse in mid-air, diving and shooting earthwards in 
a score of curving lines—as teal do, or tumbler-pigeons; but 
with these heavy fowl the manceuvre is executed with surprising 
grace and command of wing. Their numbers vary on different 
mornings without any apparent cause; but it may be laid down 
as a general rule that more will come on clear bright mornings 
than when the dawn is overcast, while rain proves (as in all 
wildfowling) an upsetting factor. Sometimes, even on favourable 
mornings, no geese appear. Occasionally, in small numbers, they 
may visit the sand in afternoon. 
To exploit the advantage afforded by this habit of the geese, 
it is necessary that the fowler be concealed before dawn in a hole 
dug for the purpose in the sand—care being taken to utilise any 
natural concealment, such as a depression flanked by a steep 
sand-revetment ; so that, at least from one quarter, the geese 
may perceive no danger till right over the gun. The hole (or 
holes, but one is best) must be dug at least twelve hours before, 
or the newly turned sand will show up dark. Were it not for 
the risk of wind filling them up with driving sand (a matter of an 
hour or two), the holes might well be prepared two or even three 
days beforehand. The excavated material is piled up around 
the periphery and flattened down smooth, thus forming a raised 
rampart which screens the suspicious darkness of the interior. 
Needless to say, the fewer human footprints around the spot, 
the better. 
Such is the inability exhibited by many sportsmen (not 
being wildfowlers) to conceal their persons—or even to recognise 
the virtue of concealment—that, for such, the holes are apt to be 
made too big, and the geese swerve off at sight of those gaping 
pits. This indeed is a form of sport that none save wild- 
fowlers need essay—others merely succeed in thwarting the whole 
enterprise. 
However carefully prepared and skilfully occupied, these holes 
