The Sierra Nevada 305 



A main winter resort is supplied by the Alpuxarras, and, 

 beyond the dividing Valle de Lecrin, ibex are distributed along 

 the whole series of mountain-ranges that lie (dono; the Mediter- 

 ranean as far as the Sierras Bermeja and Rouda. 



Among those subsidiary ranges, the following may here be 

 specified as ibex-frequented, to wit : the Sierras de Nerja and 

 Lujar near Motril, Sierra Tejdda lying south of the Vega de 

 Granada (especially the part called Casulas, which, with most of 

 the range, is private property and preserved). Sierras de Competa 

 and Alliama, and, nearer the sea, the Sierra Frigiliana belonging 

 to the late Duke of Fernan Nunez, who secured trophies thereon 

 exceeding thirty inches in length. 



Westward, in the Province of Malaga, lie t!ie Sierra de Ojen, 

 Sierra Blanca, and Palmitera (a great area of these being now 

 preserved by Mr, Pablo Larios), and last the Sierra Bermeja, 

 described in Wild Spain. Several of these ranges are of bare 

 rock, while others are covered to their summits with gorse and 

 other brushwood. 



The most enjoyable season for ibex-shooting (and on preserved 

 ground the most favourable) is during August and September, 

 when the snow has practically disaj)peared, except the permanent 

 glaciers and stray patches in some northern ravines. Camp-life 

 is then delightful and exhilarating and, given sound lungs and 

 limbs, the game may be fairly stalked and shot. The photo 

 shows a typical trophy — a grand ibex ram shot years ago on 

 the Alcazaba, horns 2 8 J; inches — another specimen measuring 29 

 inches is figured in Wild Spain. Our own experiences with ibex, 

 however, are now rather remote and might appear out-of-date. 

 We therefore content ourselves with the following extract from 

 our work quoted. 



On a bitterly cold March morning we found ourselves, as day 

 slowly broke, traversing the outspurs of the sierra — on the scene 

 of the great earthquake of 1884, evidences of which were plentiful 

 enough among the scattered hill-villages. Already many mule- 

 teams, heavily laden with merchandise from the coast town of 

 Motril, were wending their laborious way inland. It is worth 

 noting that in front of five or six laden mules it is customary 

 to harness a single donkey. This animal does little work ; but 

 always passes approaching teams on the proper side, and, more- 



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