THE BIG GAME OF SPAIN 
(5) SIERRA NEVADA.* — This includes the loftiest of all the Spanish 
peaks — Mulahacen, 11,781 ft.; Picacho de la Veleta, 11,597 ft.; Alcaz&ba, 
11,356 ft.; with others of scarcely inferior elevation. Here, protected only 
by their celestial altitude and by the vast extent of their rugged and snow- 
clad stronghold, the ibex, till a year or two ago, appeared to be almost 
holding their own — few in numbers, but including some magnificent heads. 
So long as local hunters were restricted to their old smooth-bore guns, 
the contest was fairly equal, and the game had a sporting chance. During 
the summer of 1910, however, that curse of modern days, the cheap 
repeating “ Mauser,” appeared in the hands of one or two of the goatherds 
of Nevada. That (precisely as happened with the reindeer in Norway in 
1894) imports nothing less than absolute extermination, and within brief 
space, unless prompt measures are taken to avert this disaster and dis- 
grace. Once more, for details of what is happening in Nevada, we must 
refer readers to “ Unexplored Spain,” pp. 303-4. 
(6) SIERRA MARTfiS, Valencia. 
(7) TORTOSA, Catalonia, near mouth of River Ebro (cf. “ Unexplored 
Spain,” p. 142; also Dr Angel Cabrera’s article in the “ Proceedings of the 
Zoological Society,” 1911, p. 967). We have no personal knowledge of 
either of these two last-named sierras. 
Except in those regions where, as specified, ibex are protected by land- 
owners, the dwindling remnants of their race are everywhere shot down 
without regard to season, size, or sex by the local goatherds. These moun- 
taineers, born hunters, agile and sure-footed as the goats themselves, 
during summer pasture their flocks to the topmost summits, each man 
carrying the ready gun on its sling. Nothing but the wariness of the game 
and the vast area of its scarce accessible strongholds enables even a 
remnant to survive . 
It will be obvious from the above that, except by favour, or as guest of 
some great Spanish landowner, the big game hunter of to-day has no 
chance of adding the unique trophy of Capra hispanica f to his collection. 
* Contiguous with and practically an extension of the last named. 
fUnder the principle of “ Priority in nomenclature,” the correct scientific title of the Spanish ibex would be 
Capra pyrenaica. But a rigid adherence to such a rule involves the absurdity of perpetuating errors and endorsing 
misconceptions by earlier naturalists which are now recognized as mistakes. Thus the name “Pyrenaica ” was 
originally assigned under an impression that the ibex of Spain were confined to the Pyrenees, which is not the case. 
Nowadays, when its range is proved to include nearly all Spain, the erroneous title must be dropped, or we reach 
the further anomaly of such names as Capra pyrenaica hispanica, by which the less is made to include the greater — a 
proposition which, as Euclid demonstrates, is impossible. Common sense dictates the correction of primitive mis- 
conception and the assignment to the Spanish ibex of its natural title— Capra hispanica. To that may be affixed such 
sub-specific titles as C. k. pyrenaica, Victories, etc., as may be thought desirable. 
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