Sketches of Spanish Bird-Life 405 
that 205 duck are stated to have been shot, while only 120 can 
be counted. In his inner conscience possibly each man regards 
the rest as but, ere breakfast is over, here come the keepers. 
They have ridden round the lee-shores and islets, and bring in 
another 114! 
The bag after all sums up to 234, or actually nineteen more 
than the sum-total of claims that we had been laughing at as 
extravagant. This is the list :— 
2 geese 4 gadwall 
8 mallard 2 shoveler 
53 wigeon 3 pochard 
152 teal 9 tufted duck 
There were also shot two cormorants (mistaken for geese in the 
half-light), a marsh-harrier, two great crested grebes, and several 
coots. 
The incident illustrates an instance of scrupulous honesty. 
OTHER COUNTRIES, OTHER STANDARDS 
(A SENTIMENT ABOUT WILDFOWL) 
(January 1909.) 
A wet winter and flooded marisma—under our eyes float 
wildfowl in league-long lengths; countless, but far out in open 
water. By experience we know them to be unassailable. Yet 
these hosts seem to throw down the gauntlet of defiance at our 
very doors; and under the reproach of that unspoken challenge 
experience succumbs. That night we arranged to dispose our six 
guns over a two-league triangle before the morrow’s dawn. After 
every detail had been fixed, to us our trusted pessimist, Vasquez : 
‘Ni por aqui ni por alli, ni por este lado ni por el otro, ni por 
ninguna parte cualquiera, no harémos ndda por la mafiana” 
—‘ Neither on this side nor on that, neither to east nor west, 
nor at any other point whatever, shall we do the slightest good 
to-morrow !” 
On reassembling for breakfast, the result worked out as 
follows: 2 geese, 3 mallard, 29 wigeon, 26 teal, 7 gadwall, 4 
shovelers, 1 marbled and 1 tufted duck. Total, 73 head before 
ten o'clock, besides a curlew and several golden plover, godwits 
and sundries. 
