The indications left by the stag on brushwood and rock conveyed to the trackers’ practised eyes, as clear as words, the precise position of the wound; and, as foretold, those coveted antlers were lost, to perish uselessly.
The pack of Mezquitillas was on this occasion reinforced by those of the Duke of Medinaceli and of the Marquis of Viana—bringing the total up to seventy hounds. Thus, in Spain, do the Grandees of a big land, when guests at a montería, bring with them their huntsmen, kennelmen, and their packs of hounds—a system that breathes a comforting sense of space.
Next day being hopelessly wet, I took opportunity of measuring three of the trophies which adorn the hall at Mezquitillas:—
| Points. | Length. | Widest Tips. | Circ. above Bez. | Circ. below Corona. | |
| A | 15 | 38¼” | 38¾” | 6½” | ... |
| B | 14 | 38” | 29½” | 6¼” | 7½ ” |
| C | 14 | 37¾” | 33½” | ... | ... |
| Roebuck | ... | 8½” | 3¼” |
It will be observed that the stag shot a day or two before, and illustrated above ([p. 167]), tops the best of these by half an inch. The somewhat abnormal curve, however, partly explains this.
We must record yet one more memorable day on this estate of Mezquitillas. This montería (in January 1910) covered the region known as the Leoncillo. Upwards of twenty big stags passed the firing-line, and every gun enjoyed his chance—several more than one. In the result, six stags were killed—three by our host, one by his son. Though carrying 12, 11, 10, and 10 points respectively, none of these four were of exceptional merit, and the best, a 14-pointer, fell to the Duke of Medinaceli.
The clean weight of these, the largest stags, is usually between 11½ and 12 arrobas, or 287 to 300 lbs. English. One exceptionally heavy stag killed by our host’s son, Juan Calvo, Junr., and which had received some injury in the testes, resulting in a malformation of the horn, weighed no less than 16½ arrobas, or 412 lbs. English.
Full-grown wild-boars at Mezquitillas average about 7 arrobas, or 175 lbs., clean—one specially big boar reached 8 arrobas, or 200 lbs. Wolves, though abundant, are but rarely shot in monterías for the reasons already given. During the period covered by these notes only two were killed in monterías—one by Sr. Calvo, Junr., the other by Colonel Barrera. Wild-pigs breed as a rule in March, and to some extent gregatim, or in little colonies, which is supposed to be as a protection against the wolves; the lair (cama) being a regular nest made among thick scrub, and roofed over by the foliage. Lynxes, like wolves, are rarely seen. This year, four (a female, with three full-grown cubs) were held-up by the dogs, and all killed in one thicket.