. My life among the wild birds in Spain . expectnewly hatched birds to be, judging from the size of the Cranes and once only did I come across a Crane which unques-tionably had young. I knew of a nest in a rather wet marshwhere the reecls were unusually dense and high and rode out totry to see the young. The nest however was empty. As I circledround the place on the chance of coming across the young, one ofthe old birds actually rose within 5 ft. or 6 ft. of the horse of myarriero who was riding a few yards on my Hank. I instantly wentto the spot but despite the most protracted search
. My life among the wild birds in Spain . expectnewly hatched birds to be, judging from the size of the Cranes and once only did I come across a Crane which unques-tionably had young. I knew of a nest in a rather wet marshwhere the reecls were unusually dense and high and rode out totry to see the young. The nest however was empty. As I circledround the place on the chance of coming across the young, one ofthe old birds actually rose within 5 ft. or 6 ft. of the horse of myarriero who was riding a few yards on my Hank. I instantly wentto the spot but despite the most protracted search could makenothing of it. Unfortunately, I had no retriever with me, else Ifeel confident I should have found the young. That they wereskulking in the dense reeds and that we rode over them I havenot the slightest doubt for not only did the old birds behaviourin allowing us thus to come right upon her show that she hadyoung but she subsequently settled close by and gave unmistak-able signs by her anxiety that her young were not far [I.— ACROSS 77//: CHAPTER I. A RIDE ACROSS THE VEGA. The plains or vegas—The rivers in winter and summer—The wealth of flow Spring-time on the vega—Herds of mares and cattle—The herdsmen—Abad cow—Lagartijo—Bulls—A toro bravo—A chase and an escape—Storks and Cranes—Little Ringed Plovers—Pratincoles—Stone Curlews—The Larks, Calandra, Crested and Short-toed—Fantail Waiblers Buff-backed Egrets—Ocellated Lizards and Grass Snakes—Hatred of retrieverfor these reptiles.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidmylifeam, booksubjectbirds
