Introductory 15 
of three millions sterling yearly. Spain is the home of “ chance” : 
that element appeals to Spanish character. Thus in bull-fighting 
(the one popular pastime) the name applied to each of its 
formulated exploits is suwerte—chance. 
Spain is frequently accused of being a land of mafiana. 
Hardly can we call to mind a book on the country in which 
some play on that word does not figure. But procrastination is 
not confined to any one country, and in this case the accusers 
are quite as likely to be guilty as the accused. A characteristic 
that strikes us as more applicable is rather the reverse—that of 
taking no thought for the morrow. Let us take an example or 
two. It is not the custom to repair roads. When, from long 
use, a road has gradually passed from bad to worse, till at length 
it has virtually ceased to exist, then it is “reconstruction ” that 
is the remedy. Annual repairs, one may presume, would cost, 
say half the amount, would preserve continuous utility, and 
avoid that slowly aggravated destruction that ends finally in 
a hiatus. But that is not the Spanish way. “ Reconstruction” 
is preferred. The ruthless cutting down of her forests without 
replanting a single tree has already been quoted. Next take 
an example or two of the things that lie most directly under 
the authors’ special view, such as game. The ibex—a unique 
asset, restricted to Spain, and of which any other country would 
be proud—has been callously shot down without thought for 
to-morrow, extirpated for ever in a dozen of its former habitats. 
The redleg—under the murderous system of shooting, year in 
and year out, over decoy-birds—would, be exterminated within 
three or four years in any other country save this. It is merely 
the incredible fecundity of the bird and the vast area of waste 
lands that preserves the breed. Partridge in Spain are like 
rabbits in Australia—indestructible. The trout affords another 
example. Everywhere else on earth the trout is prized as one 
of nature’s valued gifts—hard to over-appreciate. Fully one- 
half of Spain is expressly adapted to its requirements. Trout 
were intended by nature to abound over the northern half of 
Spain—say down to the latitude of Madrid, and even in the 
extreme south where conditions are favourable, as in the Sierra 
Nevada. ‘Trout might abound in Spain to the full as they 
abound in Scotland or Norway, adding value to every river and 
