On Small-Game Shooting in Spain 333 
to terrible enemies in the eagles, kites, and hawks of every 
description ; while lynxes, wild-cats, foxes, and other beasts-of- 
prey take daily and nightly toll; then in spring their eggs are 
devoured by the big lizards, by harriers, mongoose, and magpies 
in thousands. We have recently endeavoured to increase their 
numbers by grubbing up 300 acres of scrub and cultivating wheat. 
But here again Nature opposes us. Deer break down the fences, 
ignore our guards armed with lanterns and blank cartridge, 
trample down more than they eat, and the rabbits finish the 
rest! Moreover, in wet seasons the ground is flooded, the 
crops destroyed ; while, if too dry, the seed will not germinate, 
and all the time the unkillable brushwood comes and comes 
again. 
Forty or fifty brace represent average days; though it is fair 
to add that they are but few who fully avail the fleeting oppor- 
tunities at those back-swerving dots in the sky. 
RaBBITS 
The cistus plains abound with rabbits. One sees them by 
scores moving ahead, but just beyond gunshot range, which they 
calculate toa nicety. Others dart from underfoot to disappear 
in an instant in the cover. Few are shot while walking; but 
some pretty sport is obtainable by short drives, say a quarter- 
mile. The line of keepers and beaters ride round to windward, 
encircling some well-stocked bush; then slowly and noisily, with 
frequent halts, advance down-wind—the rabbit is as susceptible 
of scent as a deer. Meanwhile the dogs are having a rare time 
of it hustling the bunnies forward. The guns are placed each to 
command some clear spot, for where scrub grows thick nothing 
can be seen. A momentary glimpse is all one gets, and snap- 
shooting essential. The most favourable spots are where a strip 
of open ground lies immediately behind the guns. The rabbits 
fairly fly this, a dozen at a time, and at speed that suggests 
some one having set fire to their tails. 
In days of phenomenal bags, our Spanish totals read humble 
enough. We frequently kill a hundred or more rabbits in two 
or three short drives, besides such partridge as may also have been 
enclosed. Were a whole day devoted to rabbits alone, much 
greater numbers would of course result. But having such variety 
of resource at disposal (to say nothing of difficulty in disposing 
