Sierra de Grédos 209 
nose—while in the final scene he went in to such close quarters, 
“passing” the animal at half arm’s-length, that the whole 
10,000 in the Plaza held their breath. Parrao will become a 
first-flighter, unless he is caught, which certainly seems the more 
natural event. 
That evening we were hospitably entertained at the British 
Embassy, where our host, the Chargé d’Affaires, regretted that 
the short fourteen-days’ Ortolan season had just that morning 
expired. Thus, quite unconsciously, was an ornithological fact 
elucidated. 
Next morning we were away by an early train, and after 
five hours’ journey joined our staff, as prearranged. But here 
we committed the mistake of quartering in a country-town on 
the banks of the Tagus, instead of encamping in the open country 
outside. Bitterly did we regret having allowed ourselves to be 
thus persuaded. Long summer heats and parching drought had 
destroyed what primitive system of natural drainage may have 
existed in Talavera de la Reina and produced conditions that we 
revolt from describing. Oh! those foul effluvia amidst which men 
live, and feed, and sleep ! 
With intense delight, but splitting headaches, we left the 
plague-spot at earliest dawn and set out for the mountain-land. 
For thirty odd miles our route traversed a highland plateau; a 
group of five great bustard, gasping in the noon-day heat, lay 
asleep so near the track that we tried a shot with ball. Farther 
north, near Medina del Campo, we had also observed these grand 
game-birds feeding on the ripening grapes in the vineyards. 
Packs of sand-grouse (Pterocles arenarius) with musical croak 
flew close around. Spanish azure magpies abounded wherever 
our route passed through wooded stretches, and we also observed 
doves, bee-eaters, stonechats, crested and calandra larks, ravens, 
and over some cork-oaks wheeled a serpent-eagle showing very 
white below. 
Towards evening the track began to ascend through the lower 
defiles of the great cordillera that now pierced the heavens 
ahead. Presently we entered pinewoods, resonant at dusk 
with the raucous voices of millions of wingless grasshoppers or 
locusts (we know not their precise name) that live high up 
in pines. Never before had we heard such strident voice in an 
insect. 
P 
