. Wild Spain ... records of sport with rifle, rod, and gun, natural history and exploration . ts in tow, we at length succeeded inlaunching them on the waters of the middle marismas. The geese and wigeon had entirely disappeared—this was early in April—but passage-ducks still skimmedin large flights over the open waters. These were chieflyMallards, with Pintails and Pochards (both species), afew Teal, Garganey, and probably other species. We alsoshot Shovellers out of small bunches, and among thedeep sluices of some abandoned salt-pans (salinas), where 74 WILD SPAIN. we spent the first night,
. Wild Spain ... records of sport with rifle, rod, and gun, natural history and exploration . ts in tow, we at length succeeded inlaunching them on the waters of the middle marismas. The geese and wigeon had entirely disappeared—this was early in April—but passage-ducks still skimmedin large flights over the open waters. These were chieflyMallards, with Pintails and Pochards (both species), afew Teal, Garganey, and probably other species. We alsoshot Shovellers out of small bunches, and among thedeep sluices of some abandoned salt-pans (salinas), where 74 WILD SPAIN. we spent the first night, three or four Tufted Ducks, and apair of Pochards. I killed a single Scoter drake as lateas April 13th, and was shown as a curiosity a Cormorantwhich had been killed by some fishermen on the river aday or two before. One cannot go far into the marisma without seeing thatextraordinary fowl, the Flamingo, certainly the mostcharacteristic denizen of the wilderness. In herds of300 to 500, several of which are often in sight at once,they stand like regiments, feeding in the open water, all. heads under, greedily tearing up the grasses and water-plants that grow beneath the surface. On approachingthem, which can only be done by extreme caution, theirsilence is first broken by the sentries, which commencewalking away with low croaks : then the whole five hundrednecks rise at once to full stretch, every bird gaggling hisloudest as they walk obliquely away, looking back overtheir shoulders as though to take stock of the extent of thedanger. Shoving the punt a few yards forward, up theyall rise, and a more beautiful sight cannot be imaginedthan the simultaneous spreading of their thousand crimson THE WILDERNESS—APRIL. 75 wings, flashing against the sky like a gleam of rosy one descends to the practical, and a volley of slugscuts a lane through their phalanx. In many respects these hirds bear a strong resemblanceto geese. Like the latter, Flamingoes feed by day:
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidwildspainrecords00chapric
