284 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



interesting, from its great similarity in every particular climate, 

 fruits, conditions of cultivation, etc. to southern California. The 

 region visited was limited to the ancient Moorish provinces of 

 Seville, Cordova, and Granada, or what is generally known as 

 Andalusian Spain. A brief reference, to the climatic, cultural, 

 and crop conditions of this part of Spain will facilitate an under 

 standing of its status from the standpoint of the entomologist. 

 This region is shut off from the colder northern table-lands 

 by the Sierra Morena mountains, and most of it is subtropical 

 in character. The climate is much finer than that of Italy, 

 cooler and more bracing, especially in the higher districts 

 about Ronda and Granada. The richer parts of this district are 

 represented by the great valley of Guadalquivir and the Vegas of 

 Granada. The olive, grape, and citrus fruits are the staples, the 

 latter being best represented in the southern and eastern coast 

 region from Malaga northward. The methods of culture have 

 changed very little from a time much antedating the Roman 

 period, and to-day, very generally, implements are seen in use in 

 the fields closely resembling those described in the ancient writ 

 ings of the Egyptians and Hebrews. Since the time of the Moors, 

 much land formerly in a high state of cultivation has gone back 

 to a state of nature, and this is especially true of the region 

 about Gibraltar and Algiceras. A prominent feature of the 

 landscape everywhere is the agave, which is grown in dense rows 

 as a hedge plant. In recent years there has been somewhat of a 

 revival in agriculture, due to the breaking up and distribution of 

 the church lands and the building of railroads, and some modern 

 methods have been introduced. English machines, and even 

 steam-plows, have been experimented with. The country, as 

 one travels through it, seems to be uninhabited by the farming 

 communities. There are vast cultivated fields, but no dwelling- 

 houses or other signs of human habitation. Village life is the 

 predominant one, and little assemblages of tile-covered cottages 

 dot here and there the vast regions devoted to the olive, grape, 

 and cereal cultures. The climate, like that of California, presents 

 a hot, dry summer, during which the rivers become dry ravines, 

 but in the rainy season, in winter, are converted into torrents. 

 Much of the land is cultivated only by means of irrigation, and 

 this is seen, in its best form, in the vegas of Granada. Irriga- 



