FOREST EXCURSIONS. HO 



shield, and the emblems or symbols of the corps. In this 

 met the professors constituting the tribunal, and there, 

 under the branches of the trees, was exhibited the first 

 authorisation of the formation of a School of Forestry, 

 which was exposed curious circumstance but appropriate 

 on the board of a theodolite. 



' To these field exercises there succeeded in the second 

 year, and the others following, forestal excursions to the 

 forests of the Sierra. With disregard of selfish considera- 

 tions, both professor and students made the journeys on 

 foot, collecting and discussing as they went all objects 

 possessing any interest with which they met, whether 

 these were plants, or insects, or rocks. The strictest disci- 

 pline, compatible with perfect and expansive freedom, 

 characterised their whole procedure, even in details ; and 

 to maintain the enthusiasm and joviality of the esprit <le 

 corps there w r as sounded forih by the youthful students 

 the so called Forest Hymn, composed by one of them, and 

 enspirited with the purest love of science, of nature, and 

 of their country. Eighteen years later we, the disciples 

 of these students, sing that same hymn, reproducing it in 

 the pineries of the Cordillera of the Guadarrama, and 

 shouting out with a voice which the echo repeats and 

 extends 



Al campo marchemos ! 

 Risueuna la aurora, 

 Las blancas estrellas, 

 Luciente borro ; 

 Subid ! Pemialara, 

 De nieve vestido, 

 Los rayos nacientes, 

 Refleja del sol. 



Mirad como brota, 

 Y baja espumoso, 

 Banuaudo los riscos, 

 Torrente veloz ; 

 Y roca tras roca, 

 Cruzando el abismo, 

 La cabra ligera, 

 ain temoy, 



