On Small-Game Shooting in Spain 331 
only in September. Some appear then to retire to Africa, along with the 
turtle-doves—the latter a bird that surely deserves passing note, since 
few are smarter on wing or afford quicker snap-shooting while passing by 
millions through this country every autumn. 
The conditions above indicated prevail over a vast proportion 
of rural Spain, which thus presents small attraction to wandering 
gunner, however humble his ideals. 
There are other regions where the landowners, though in no 
sense “preserving,” yet prohibit free entry on their properties 
owing to damage done—such as disturbing stock, stampeding 
cattle on to cultivation in a land where no fences exist, and so 
on. Naturally such ground carries more game, and subject to 
permission being received, fair and sometimes excellent sport is 
attainable. Thus, on one such property the tangled woods of wild 
olive abound with woodcock, though difficulties are presented by 
the impenetrable character of the briar-bound thickets. Were 
“rides” cut and clearings enlarged quite large bags of woodcock 
might be secured. The rough scrubby hills adjoining carry a fair 
stock of partridge, and we have often killed forty or fifty snipe in 
the marshy valleys that intervene. The following will serve as 
an example of three consecutive days’ shooting on such unpreserved 
ground (two guns—s. D. and B. F. B.) :— 
| Nov. 18. Nov. 14. Nov. 15. Total. 
Snipe | 101 32 155 288 
Ducks and Teal . 2 9 3 14 
Wild-Geese | 3 an 3 
Sundries | 4 4 
| 105 41 162 309 
Three days in February on similar ground, but in an 
unfavourable season, yielded 79 snipe, 5 woodcock, 19 golden 
plovers, 3 lesser bustard, a hare, and a few sundries. 
Lesrisa, December 1897.—Two Guns, C. D. W. anp B. F. B, (Hanr-pay) 
117 snipe (mostly driven) 
Leprisa, November 16, 1904.—Samzt Two Gons 
112 snipe, 2 mallard, 1 curlew 
Casas Virsas, November 19, 1906.—Turex Guns (8. D., C. D. W., anp B. F. B.) 
123 snipe, 1 mallard, 5 teal 
