440 



WILD SPAIN. 



bined with occasional cliances at pig, and this often on unpre- 

 served grounds. 



Hoe are confined to the mountains — never found on the 

 plains. 



The Spanish Ibex (Copra hispanim). 



Of the Cobra month we have already treated (chapters xi. 

 to xiii.pp. 128-172), and now add some notes which we eontri- 



FIYE-YEAR-OLD IBEX. 



liuted to the Badminton Library through our friend Mr. C. 

 Phillipps-Wolley, the editor of the Big Game volumes. 



The Spanish mountaineer does not much affect ibex-hunting, 

 though there are in each mountain-village some who try to earn 

 a few precarious dollars by it. The peasants who follow this 

 pursuit in the alpine regions of Spain become fearless climbers : 

 with their feet clad in alparagatas, or hemp-soled sandals, they 

 traverse ridges and descend crags where nail-shod guide would, 

 falter. The first object is to get as high as possible. Then, 

 crawling to the verge of some fearful abyss, the hunter com- 



