THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
180 
like the monkey, found nowhere else on the Euro- 
pean continent. The osprey, the peregrine falcon, 
the Egyptian vulture, and Bonelli’s eagle (Nisaelus 
fasciatus, Yiell.j, breed sparingly on the higher 
crags. A very great number of species of fishes is 
found in the Bay and the adjoining waters, and a 
visit to the market especially in the early morning, 
rarely fails to reward the naturalist with the sight 
of many interesting and often rare forms. 
Leaving the town by the “Landport” gate at the 
north end a short walk brings one to the flat, 
sandy isthmus, of which the British lines enclose 
a trip, from sea to sea, about a quarter of a mile 
long, used as a race course and rifle range; a 
similar strip between the British and Spanish 
lines being “neutral ground.” When I was here 
in 1874 — 5, the race course was marked out with 
large loose stones, under which Coleoptera con- 
gregated in myriads, but these have long since 
been removed, much to the detriment of collecting, 
still, the abundance of large beetles here is very 
striking at all times of the year, but especially in 
the spring and early summer. The big, unwieldy 
Morica pianola, F., Pimelia fornicata, Sol., and 
Akis acuminata, F., are to be seen everywhere 
waddling clumsily about, and a little closer search 
will not fail to reveal Scaurus tristis, 01., and 
punctatv, Libst., Ci'i//>ticus gibbulus, Quens., Ero- 
ding tibiaJ it, L. two species of Zophosis and of 
Stenosis, Tentyria maroccana, Sol., and other in- 
teresting Heteromerous forms; while, especially 
towards evening, the truculent-looking Scarites 
girjas , L., is often to be seen prowling over the 
sanp in search of prey, having quitted his burrow 
at the roots of a tuft of Ononis. Beyond the 
Spanish lines is the village of “San Felipe de la 
Linea,” which straggles over a large extent of 
ground, and is, I may safely say, the most filthy 
and squalid place I have ever seen. There is, 
unfortunately, no way of reaching the open coun- 
try except through this delightful village, and 
even when the pedestrian has run the gauntlet of 
its thousand and one evil odours, his troubles are 
not yet at an end. The path for the next mile or 
so is along the sandy beach of the Bay, which is, 
except under certain conditions of the tide, ex- 
ceedingly fatiguing to traverse, being cut up by 
the hoofs of innumerable beasts of burden, chiefly 
of the humbler sort. Another path leads through 
Linea to the foot of the Sierra Carbonera, or as it 
is called in Gibraltar, the “Queen of Spain’s 
Chair,” but this also traverses a mile or more of 
clean, loose, sea sand, drifted into hillocks by the 
wind, and entirely destitute of vegetation. The 
eastern (Mediterranean) beach is very dreary and 
barren, and the only noteworthy insect I have 
found here is Nebrica Complanata,, L., not un- 
commonly under large pieces of wreck timber, in 
in company with Trachyscelis aphodioid.es, Latr. 
On the western beach, such beetles as Isocerus 
purpurascens, Hbst., Crypticus pruinosus, Duf., 
Helops pallidus, Curtis., Ammophthorus rugosus, 
Bosh., two species of Phaleria and Pscunniobius 
porcicollis, 111., may be found at almost any time 
at the roots of sea spurge, and the conspicuous 
black and white spotted larva of Brithys pancratii, 
Cyr., is common on the sea lily, Pancratium ma- 
ritimum, eating the leaves down to the sand. 
This sandy beach extends to Algepiras, a distance 
of 12 miles round the Bay, and is intersected by 
the mouths of two small rivers, the Guadarranque 
and the Palmones, as well as by some minor 
streams. 
( to he continued ) 
Why We Should Teach Geology. 
Geology in its broadest scope should be taught 
in our schools and colleges, and for at least 
twelve good reasons, says Prof. A. S. Packard in 
Popular Science Monthly for May. At the outset 
we would claim that it holds equal rank with 
astronomy or biology. The former science tells us 
of the existence of other worlds than ours and 
gives us some conception of the immensity of 
space. The study of plants and animals carries an 
impressive lesson as to the unity prevailing amid 
all the diversity of Nature, besides affording the 
hope that we may at some time discover the origin 
of life, since it has already opened the way to an 
explanation of the origin of the existing forms of 
life; while the grand outcome of geological study 
is that it brings vividly before the mind the im- 
mensity of time, enabling us to realize that time 
is only less than eternity. It also teaches us that 
our earth has had a history, that our own race 
has had a high antiquity; and thus the contem- 
