Lord Lilford on the Ornithology of Spain. 
379 
lying in wait—near a patch of a certain plant with a white 
flower, which is very common in these plains, but the name of 
which I do not remember—until one hears a faint clicking note 
unlike that of any other bird with which I am acquainted, and 
impossible to describe accurately: this, it appears, is the love- 
call of the male; and on hearing it Manuel used to signal to me 
to advance upon the spot whence it came, he keeping in line 
with me at about a gunshot off. The male bird always rose 
first, with a great clatter of wings and a sort of crowing chuckle, 
generally a long shot off, whilst the hen lay close till nearly 
trodden upon, or sprung by the dogs. 
These birds were now pairing, but had not yet begun to lay; 
I found that, unless the clicking note had commenced, it was 
merely vexation of spirit to try to get a shot on foot, although 
on horseback or on wheels one may approach the birds very 
closely. We found both species of Sand-Grouse ( Pterocles 
arenarius and P. alchata) in considerable numbers; but it is 
only by chance that a shot at them is to be got by fair means. 
I did manage on this occasion to bag a beautiful specimen of 
the latter species out of a large flock which rose at a long distance. 
The recognized way of shooting Sand-Grouse in Spain is by 
waiting at their drinking-places in the early morning and even¬ 
ing during the great heats of summer. Both the above-named 
species are common in many parts of the Castiles, La Mancha, 
Murcia, Andalueia, Estremadura, and again in some districts of 
Aragon and Catalonia. The black-breasted species (P, arenarius ) 
is known in Spain as “ Ortega ” or “ Churra•” whilst P. alchata 
is universally called “ GangaP They delight in the barest and 
most stony localities they can find, and even in hungry Spain 
are considered “ muy mala carneP Both species of Bustard 
are, on the contrary, in my opinion, excellent eating, the Otis 
tetrax taking the place and name of “ Faisan ” at the tables 
d’hote in Spanish hotels, as the Black Grouse does at those of 
Northern Italy. The Stone-Curlew ( OEdicnemus crepitans ) is 
very common in this district, and we shot several of them. 
A pair of Golden Eagles soared over our heads as we sat at 
luncheon; and Booted Eagles {Aquila pennata) were continually 
in sight, beating the country harrier-fashion for rabbits and 
