. Unexplored Spain. Hunting; Natural history. 394 Unexplored Spain baena; our British blindworm [Anguis fragilis) is another, and that also we did not know before. There are curious reptiles here in Spain—the chameleon, for example. The lobe-footed gecko, Salamanquesa in Spanish, haunts sunny rocks where insects abound. But he carries war into the enemy's camp, invading (not singly, but in force) the wild-bees' nests. A Spanish bee- keeper gravel}'' assured us that the cold-blooded gecko does this thing expressly to enjoy the sensation of being stung in twenty places at once ! Here in a shady
. Unexplored Spain. Hunting; Natural history. 394 Unexplored Spain baena; our British blindworm [Anguis fragilis) is another, and that also we did not know before. There are curious reptiles here in Spain—the chameleon, for example. The lobe-footed gecko, Salamanquesa in Spanish, haunts sunny rocks where insects abound. But he carries war into the enemy's camp, invading (not singly, but in force) the wild-bees' nests. A Spanish bee- keeper gravel}'' assured us that the cold-blooded gecko does this thing expressly to enjoy the sensation of being stung in twenty places at once ! Here in a shady glade lie strewn broadcast the wings of butterflies—examine very closely the bush above, and presently an iris-less eye, expressionless as a grey pearl, will meet your own. That is a praying mantis (or Santa Teresa in Spanish), a practical insect but no aesthete, since he devours the ugly body and casts aside the beauteous wings!—see his portrait at p. 87. Among butterflies we counted here the scarce swallowtail, Thais polyxena (hatching out on April 3), Vanessa polychloros, a big fritillary with blood-red under-surface to its fore-wings {Argynnis maia, Cramer), Euchloehelia (March) and the curious insect figured alongside, we know not what it is.^ For more than thirty years within our knowledge (and probably for centuries before) these cliffs have formed a home of Bonelli's eagle. Two huge stick-built nests stand out in visible projection from crevices in the crag, some forty yards apart. To-day (April 3) the occupied eyrie contained a down-clad eaglet, four partridges, and half a rabbit, besides a partridge's egg, intact, and sundry scraps of flesh, all quite fresh. The nest was lined with green olive-twigs; swarms of carrion-flies buzzed around, and . a great tortoiseshell butterfly alit on its edge while we were yet inside. The parent eagles soared overhead, the female carrying a half rabbit, which, in her impatience, she presently commenced to devour, the pair perchi
Size: 1758px × 1421px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, booksubjecthunting, booksubjectnaturalhistory
