File:Wild Spain records of sport with rifle, rod, and gun, natural history and exploration (1893) (14749893684).jpg

Identifier: wildspainrecords00chaprich (find matches)
Title: Wild Spain ... records of sport with rifle, rod, and gun, natural history and exploration
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Chapman, Abel, 1851-1929 Buck, Walter John
Subjects: Hunting -- Spain Game and game-birds -- Spain
Publisher: London, Gurney and Jackson
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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ur at a stretch, splashing throughwater over knee-deep and in clinging mud, is rather severe.There is, moreover, but scant room for two behind a pony,and the crowding intensifies the discomfort of the bent posi-tion. There is the necessity to avoid bringing ones heavy-nailed brogues down on ones companions naked heels ortoes ; then again, no part of ones person must show in out-line above or astern, and lastly there is the gun. By an axiomof sport, it must never point towards man or beast; tocarry it pointing downwards would never do—the muzzlewould be a foot under water, and upwards it would show likea pole-mast above the ponies quarters. The gun, in short,for fifty-nine minutes in every hour, is simply a nuisance. Though the chief species of ducks against which ourojierations were directed were the above-named—Pintailsand Wigeon—there were several other kinds, notablyShovelers—very handsome birds, the drakes, with theirboldly contrasted plumage, glossy green heads and chest-
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HO V3 z;o Q X WILDFOWLING IN THE WILDERNESS. 375 nut breasts divided by a band of snow-white purit).Besides these there were the Mallard and Teal, and othersto which we will refer presently. It was during flight-shooting in the early mornings thatthe greatest variety of wildfowl was observed, the numbersof Shovelers being especially conspicuous. One morningwe particularly remember ; we had ridden nearly all nightto reach a certain favourite spot before daybreak. Eventhe pateros were still asleep when, at 2 a.m., we rode up totheir solitary clioza on the verge of the marsh. However,we were soon in our allotted positions, each on board a tinyJanrlia, or flat-bottomed punt, far out in the marisma.Towards the dawn a very great number of ducks were onthe wing—Mallards, Pintails, Teal, and Wigeon, while froman opposite direction the Shovelers streamed overhead fora couple of hours. These handsome paletones took my fancy,and drew the bulk of my cartridges; but whether theywere too high, or

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