Fauna.— Like that of all the rest of the Palxarctic-Mediterranean subzone, the fauna of Spain is extensive and extremely varied. A leading work on the crustaceans entitled 'Ma terials para la Fauna Carcinologica de Espana,) by Sr. OdOn de Buen, says that the Mediter ranean region is richer than the "Celtic') [north ern and northwestern] in the carcinological fauna. D. Francisco Garcia Sala, in his Memoria prepared for the Central Commission of Fisheries of the Navy Department, calls at tention to the circumstance that the waters of the east and south coasts contain many varie ties of fish for the reason that the Mediter ranean is "the great natural breeding-place of the Atlantic and perhaps of other more remote seas.") The number of specific forms or species of insects in the entire peninsula is reckoned at more than 160,000. The most common reptiles are vip era latastei, Tropidonotus viperinus, Rhinechis scalaris, Psammodromus hispanicus and Lacerta nsurails. The avifauna includes par ticularly some arctic species in the high moun tains, great numbers of maritime and river birds, and (in the southeast) several species of vultures and falcons. Mammals are un commonly well represented, in the Perisodactyl order, by the genus Equus, and by ruminants of the Artiodactyl order. The order of Carni vora is represented by the Ursus arctos, by Spanish varieties of the genus Canis, the Canis lupus, the Canis vulpes, etc.
Forestry.— The mountains and many tracts of the table-land are in general very scantily supplied with trees and a want of timber, both for fuel and economical purposes, is severely felt in many quarters. The finest forests are on the western offsets of the Pyrenees and in the mountains of Asturias. The more remark able trees are the Spanish chestnut and sev eral varieties of oak, and in particular the cork-oak.
Fisheries.-- This industry employs 15,512 boats, of which 791 are steamers, and 88,150 fishermen. The catch in a recent year aggre gated 148,978 tons valued at $18,166,650. Cod, sardines and tunny fish are the most important catches. Sardines and fish-preserves are pre pared in 677 factories employing 19,320 work men and having an annual product valued at $12,634,878.
It is remarkable that Spain, though one of the most naturally productive, is also one of the least cultivated of the coun tries of Europe. More than a third of the land capable of profitable cultivation is allowed to lie waste, and the system of agriculture pur sued is far behind that of any other European country. The finest agricultural district is Valencia, where both rice and corn are grown far beyond the wants of the actual popula tion, and furnish large supplies to those parts of the interior which are less favorably situ ated. After Valencia, Catalonia, Murcia, and some of the northern prolSinces, raise the largest quantities of grain. The more impor
tant crops are wheat, rice, maize, barley and legumes. The culture of the vine is general, and great quantities of wine are made, both for home consumption and exportation. The demand for the latter is chiefly confined to sherry and the sweet wines of Malaga and Alicante. A considerable part of the grapes grown are dried and exported in this state, especially from the port of Malaga. Nuts, common and pistachio, walnuts and chestnuts grow in such abundance as to form important articles of trade. In the warmer districts the olive, sugarcane and cotton-plant are partially cultivated. Fruits are extremely abundant and include in addition to apples, pears, cherries, plums, peaches and apricots, the almond, date, fig, orange, citron and pomegranate; and in the lower districts of the south, the pineapple and banana. Hemp and flax are extensively grown in Aragon, and Galicia, and esparto grows in abundance, more especially in Valencia and Murcia, where it is in extensive demand for making ropes, mats, baskets, etc., besides be ing exported. The mulberry thrives well, and is largely cultivated for rearing silkworms in Valencia, Murcia and Granada. Other vege table products are saffron, licorice and barilla. Much of the higher part of the central table land, however, presents a very sterile appear ance, having a thin stony soil and a covering of heath and scanty pasture; still extensive tracts which might be advantageously culti vated are left almost in a state of nature, to be roamed over by cattle, sheep, goats and swine.
Of Spanish soil 88.45 per cent is classed as productive; of this 35.5 per cent is devoted to agriculture and horticulture, 2.5 to vineyards, 2.9 to olives, 22.2 to fruits and 25.3 to native grasses. There are 3,426,083 separate holdings which pay a property tax. The acreage and yield of the chief crops in 1918 was: wheat, 10,348,537 acres, yield 73,868,578 cwts.; barley, 4,258,892 acres; 39,406,852 cwts.; oats, 1,524,453 acres, 8,846,606 cwts.; rye, 1,839,752 acres, 15,466,774 cwts.; maize, 1,182,742 acres, 12,264, 502 cwts.; rice, 111,807 acres, 4,152,968 cwts.; beans, 498,385 acres, 4,012,110 cwts.; kidney beans, 794,607 acres, 3,622,040 cwts.: peas, 138,607 acres, 645,356 cwts ; chick peas, 562,267 acres, 2,334,548 cwts.; tares, 457,165 acres, 1,748,414 cwts.; vetches, 159,472 acres, 996,522 cwts.
In the same year 3,292,925 acres were under vines. The production was 8,400,104,240 pounds of grapes, yielding ordinary red and white wines to the extent of 496,487,596 gallons. About 3,760,000 acres were under olives and yielded 1,986,930 tons of olives and 385,053 tons of oil. The recent live-stock census showed 557,676 horses; 1,042,894 mules; 923, 996 asses; 3,233,200 cows; 17,227,019 sheep; 4,181,942 goats; 3,929,449 pigs and 5,400 camels (Canary Islands).