These "Unicorns" proved really better bulls than at many of the formal _corridas_. Three young and rising matadors despatched the animals--two each. They were Galindo, Gavira, and Parrao--both the latter excellent. Gavira looked as if he might take first rank in his order, while Parrao displayed a coolness in the _lidia_ such as we had seldom before seen--even to stroking the bull's nose--while in the final scene he went in to such close quarters, "passing" the animal at half arm's-length, that the whole 10,000 in the Plaza held their breath. Parrao will become a first-flighter, unless he is caught, which certainly seems the more natural event.
That evening we were hospitably entertained at the British Embassy, where our host, the Chargé d'Affaires, regretted that the short fourteen-days' Ortolan season had just that morning expired. Thus, quite unconsciously, was an ornithological fact elucidated.
Next morning we were away by an early train, and after five hours' journey joined our staff, as prearranged. But here we committed the mistake of quartering in a country-town on the banks of the Tagus, instead of encamping in the open country outside. Bitterly did we regret having allowed ourselves to be thus persuaded. Long summer heats and parching drought had destroyed what primitive system of natural drainage may have existed in Talavera de la Reina and produced conditions that we revolt from describing. Oh! those foul effluvia amidst which men live, and feed, and sleep!
With intense delight, but splitting headaches, we left the plague-spot at earliest dawn and set out for the mountain-land. For thirty odd miles our route traversed a highland plateau; a group of five great bustard, gasping in the noon-day heat, lay asleep so near the track that we tried a shot with ball. Farther north, near Medina del Campo, we had also observed these grand game-birds feeding on the ripening grapes in the vineyards. Packs of sand-grouse (_Pterocles arenarius_) with musical croak flew close around. Spanish azure magpies abounded wherever our route passed through wooded stretches, and we also observed doves, bee-eaters, stonechats, crested and calandra larks, ravens, and over some cork-oaks wheeled a serpent-eagle showing very white below.