Unexplored Spain Part 17

(A) SIERRA DE GReDOS--MADRIGAL DE LA VERA.

Length 26-1/2 in. Circ.u.m. 10-1/8 in. Tips, 22-1/8 in.

(B) SIERRA NEVADA.

Length 29-3/4 in. Circ.u.m. 8-1/8 in. Tips, 20-7/8 in.

(C) SIERRA DE GReDOS, BOHOYO. 29-1/8 in.

(D) VALENCIA, SIERRA MARTES. 21-3/4 in.]

The owner of the sierras above mentioned (the Marquis del Merito) has favoured us with latest details respecting both the ibex and other wild beasts therein.

The wild-goat (he writes) is the most difficult of all game to shoot, proof of which is afforded by the fact that in the lands which I hold in the Sierra Quintana (although until recent years these were unpreserved and in the neighbourhood of a village where every man was a hunter) yet the local shooters had not succeeded in exterminating the species. Its means of defence, over and above its keen sight and scent, consist chiefly in the inaccessible natural caves of those mountains, in which the wild-goats invariably seek refuge the moment they find themselves pursued. In these caves the goats were accustomed to pa.s.s the entire day, never coming out to feed except during the night.

To-day (since free shooting has ceased) they begin to show up a little during daylight, and in other ways demonstrate a returning confidence. Nevertheless they display not the slightest inclination to abandon their old tendency to betake themselves, immediately on the appearance of danger, to the vast crags and precipices which lie towards the east of the sierra, and which crags afford them almost complete security. The most effective method of securing a specimen to-day is, as you know, by stalking (_resecho_). For this animal, when it finds itself suddenly surprised by a human being, is less startled than deer, or other game, and usually allows sufficient time for careful aim to be taken--indeed, it seems to be the more alarmed when it has lost sight of the intruder.

The rutting season occurs in November and December, and the kids, usually one or two in number, are born in May, the same as domestic goats. These kids have a terrible enemy in the golden eagles, since their birth coincides with the period when these rapacious birds have their own broods to feed, and when they become more savage than ever. To reduce the damage thus done, I am now paying to the guards a reward for every eagle destroyed, and this last spring took myself a nest containing one eaglet, shooting both its parents.

The dimensions of horns I am unable to put down with precision, but there was killed here an ibex (which was mounted by Barrasona at Cordoba) measuring 85 centimetres in length (= 33-1/2 inches). Of the last, which was killed by Lord Hindlip, as shown in photo I send, the length of horns was 68 centimetres (= 26-3/4 inches).

The dimensions of the best ibex head obtained by us in this sierra were: Length, 28 inches; basal circ.u.mference, 8-1/4 inches.

WOLVES

These animals, which perpetrate incredible destruction to game, are very abundant in Morena, yet rarely shot in the _monterias_ (mountain-drives).

This is not due to any special astuteness of the wolf, but simply because, while waiting for deer, sportsmen naturally lie very low, thus giving opportunity to wolves to pa.s.s unseen; while, on the other hand, when boars only are expected, and sportsmen therefore remain less concealed, the wolf is apt to detect the danger before arriving within shot.

In May and June the she-wolves produce their young; but it is difficult to discover these broods, since at that period they betake themselves to remote regions far away from the haunts frequented in normal times.

There is, however, one method of discovering them which is known to the mountaineers as the _oteo_, or watching for them over-night, thus noting precisely where each she-wolf gives tongue. If on the following morning the howl is repeated at the same spot, it is a practical certainty that that wolf will have her brood in that immediate neighbourhood.

Thereupon at daybreak the hunters proceed to examine every bush and brake in the marked spot, which invariably consists either of strong brushwood or broken rocks. All around the actual lair for a hundred yards the ground is traced with footprints and scratchings, which usually lead to its discovery; but should it not be found that day, it is completely useless to seek for it on the following, since the moment that a she-wolf perceives that her whelps are being sought, she at once removes them far away. To exterminate wolves, strychnine is extensively used, giving positive results.[24] At the same time it is always better to supplement its use by searching out with practical men the broods of wolf-cubs at their proper season.

The photo facing p. 158 shows a magnificent old dog-wolf, scaling 93 lbs. dead-weight, which we obtained in the Sierra Morena, near Cordoba, in March 1909.

LYNX, OR _GATO CERVAL_

This animal breeds in April and May, and the number of young is generally two. If captured, the majority of the young lynxes die at the period when they change from a milk diet to solid food, and one may imagine that the same thing happens in the case of the wild lynxes, since otherwise it is difficult to explain why an animal, whose only enemy is mankind, should remain so scarce. Their food consists of partridges, rabbits, and other small game.

RED DEER

With the red deer of these mountains, as elsewhere in Spain, the rut (_celo_) depends upon the autumn, which season may be earlier or later; but the _celo_ always takes place between mid-September and mid-October.

The calves are born at end of May or early in June, and suckled by their mothers till the following autumn.

The casting of the horns, together with the change of hair, varies in date, depending on the state of health in each individual. It generally occurs in May, but in very robust animals we have seen cases in April, and in the _baretos_, or stags of one year, in March. The development of the new horn is complete by the end of July, and in August occurs the shedding of the velvet. The horn at first is of a white bone-colour, but gradually darkens, the final colour depending on the nature of the bush frequented, the blackest being found in those stags which inhabit the gum-cistus (_jarales_).

Although it is currently believed among country folk that the age of a stag can be determined by the number of his points, this is incorrect, the horn development depending solely on the robustness of the animal.

It frequently happens that a stag carries fewer points than he did the year before.

When the hinds are about to bring forth, they isolate themselves, seeking spots where the brushwood is less dense, and leaving the calf concealed in some bush. The habits of a hind when giving her offspring its first lessons in the arts of concealment and caution are interesting to watch. Shortly after daybreak the mother suddenly performs a series of wild, convulsive bounds, leaping away over the bush as though in presence of visible peril, thus alarming the youngster and teaching it to seek cover for itself. This performance is repeated at intervals until the calf has learnt to lie-up, when the hind will do the same, but at some distance, although in view. She only allows her progeny to accompany her when it has acquired sufficient strength and agility to follow, which is the case some twenty or thirty days after birth.

Having noted the spoor of a single hind at the breeding-time, one may follow to the spot where she is suckling her young. But so soon as one observes the prints of these spasmodic jumps with which the mother instils into her offspring a sense of caution (as above described), one may then begin leisurely to examine every bush round about. In one of these the calf will be found lying curled up without a bed and with its nose resting on its hip.[25] It will at first offer some slight resistance, but once captured, may be set free with the certainty that it will not make any attempt to escape.

The only enemies the full-grown stag has to fear are mankind and the wolf, but chiefly the latter, since not only do single wolves destroy in this sierra large numbers of the newly born calves, but, worse still, when a troop of wolves have once tasted venison they commence habitually to hunt both hinds and even the younger stags, which they persistently follow day after day till the deer are absolutely worn out. They then pull them down, the final scene usually occurring in some deep ravine or mountain burn.

The calves of red deer, as happens with ibex kids, are also preyed upon by golden eagles.

DEER-SHOOTING

As regards sport, the best results are only attainable by _monterias_, or extended drives, a.s.suming that the district is thickly jungled, and generally of elevated situation. There is also a system of shooting at the "roaring-time," but that is uncertain owing to the rapidity of the stag's movements, the thick bush, and the risk of his getting the wind.

Practised trackers are in the habit of hunting _a la grena_, which consists in observing the deer at daybreak, selecting a good stag, and afterwards following his spoor at midday (at which hour deer, while enjoying their siesta, are quite apt to lie close) and shooting as he springs from his lair (_al arrancar_).

[Ill.u.s.tration: RED DEER HEADS, SIERRA MOReNA.

ZAMUJAK, JAeN.

Points 16. Length 38-3/4 in.

VALDELAGRANA.

Points 16. Length 40-5/8 in.]

SIERRA QUINTANA.

Points 15. Length 37-1/2 in.

RISQUILLO.

Points 14. Length 36-3/4 in.]

A really big stag is nearly always found alone, or should he have a companion, the second will also be an animal of large size. Such stags are never seen with hinds, excepting in the autumn (_celo_).

The system of the _monteria_, or mountain-drive, is described in detail in the following chapter.

TABLE OF SPANISH IBEX HEADS

Measured by the Authors, or other stated Authority.

+------------+---------+-------------------+----------+----------------+ | | | Width. | | | | Locality. | Length. +---------+---------+ Circ.u.m- | Authority. | | | | Tips. | Inside. | ference. | | +------------+---------+---------+---------+----------+----------------+ | | ins. | ins. | ins. | ins. | | | Morena | 33-1/2 | ... | ... | ... | Marq. Merito | | | | | | | (p. 158).| | Pyrenees | 31 | 26-1/2 | ... | 8-3/4 | Sir V. Brooke. | | Nevada | 29-3/4 | 22-1/4 | 20-7/8 | 8-1/4 | At Madrid. | | Gredos[26] | 29-1/4 | 23-1/4 | ... | 9-1/2 | Authors. | | Do. | 29-1/8 | 23-1/8 | 21 | 9-7/8 | M. Amezua. | | Do. | 29 | 22-1/2 | ... | 9-1/4 | Authors. | | Pyrenees | 29 | 23 | ... | 10 | Sir V. Brooke. | | Nevada[26] | 29 | 23 | 18-3/4 | 9 | Authors. | | Do. | 28-1/4 | 24-1/2 | 22 | 9-1/16 | Do. | | Morena | 28-1/2 | ... | ... | 8-1/4 | Do. | | Bermeja | 28 | 19 | ... | 8-1/4 | Do. | | Morena | 26-3/4 | ... | ... | ... | Lord Hindlip. | | Gredos | 26-1/2 | ... | 22-1/8 | 10-1/8 | At Madrid. | | Pyrenees | 26 | 21 | ... | 10 | Sir V. Brooke. | | Sa. Blanca | 26 | ... | ... | 8-3/4 | P. Larios. | | Gredos | 24-1/8 | ... | ... | 8-1/4 | Authors. | | Pyrenees | 22-3/4 | 18-3/4 | ... | 9-1/2 | E. N. Buxton. | | Sa. Blanca | 22 | ... | 14 | 7-3/4 | P. Larios. | | Valencia | 21-3/4 | 16-3/8 | 17 | 7-7/8 | P. Burgoyne. | +------------+---------+---------+---------+----------+----------------+