475 



The remainder, with the exception of that part occupied by the fortifi- 

 cations, is as nearly as possible in a state of nature. Although the dis- 

 tant appearance of the Rock would lead one to suppose its precipitous 

 sides totally devoid of vegetation, this is by no means the case : "even 

 as early as December the colour of the Rock is varied by luxuriant 

 vegetation, though of a diminutive description, which changes with 

 magical rapidity its summer dress and arid appearance immediately 

 after the first falls of rain ; masses of green of every tint, harmonizing 

 beautifully with the yellow bloom of the Spartium and Genista and 

 the fi-agile umbels of Oxalis cernua, which grows here almost wild. 

 The whole appearance of the Rock, near the Alameda, is charming, 

 and one who has not seen tropical vegetation would scarcely believe 

 that at such a season Nature could look so beautiful." 



In speaking of the Chamaerops humilis, a palm very generally dis- 

 tributed over the Rock, our author indulges in a little zoological di- 

 gression which is highly interesting. " Its tender leaves " says Dr. 

 Kelaart, " and young roots constitute the principal food of the apes, 

 which abound in this part of the Rock. The origin of this, the only 

 quadrumanous animal in Europe, has been naturally the subject of 

 many speculative opinions, and I regret to say that I cannot throw 

 any new light on its history ; but I am disposed to side with the opi- 

 nion, that these apes were introduced into Gibraltar by the Moors, 

 during their early possession of the Rock ; for even in the present 

 day similar apes are brought over from Barbary and sold in the mar- 

 ket. Abyla, the hill on the opposite coast of Africa, is still called 

 Ape's Hill, from the number of those animals seen there. The sta- 

 tionary habits of this animal on the Rock give additional interest to 

 its history. There is no obvious reason why some of the apes should 

 not have migrated to the neighbouring hills. The Queen of Spain's 

 Chair, which is only three miles from Gibraltar, might afford them 

 some diversity ; but no, — they seem to prefer looking on their father- 

 land from the heights of Gibraltar, and feeding upon the palms which 

 grow there, rather than travel to the fruitful valleys of Andalusia. 

 They are never likely to be exterminated from the Rock, no person 

 being allowed to shoot, or in anywise hurt them, unless they venture 

 near the town, which they seldom do. Some years ago, one used to 

 come down on the declivities above the Alameda pretty regularly, 

 during the time the guards trooped, and it consequently went by the 

 name of the ' Town Major.' The curious history of another of these 

 apes is given by an 'Old Inhabitant,' in his very interesting ' Guide to 

 Gibraltar;' who also very properly remarks, "where they bury their 



