The Greek Islands

by Lawrence Durrell

  Most of the Greek islands, when their small size is considered, have a rich land fauna, though the larger mammals, as in most European countries, are getting scarcer.

  In some of the larger islands the Jackal (Canis aureus) is still found, even in densely populated Corfu which is one of its most western habitats. The Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is common. The Brown Hare is replaced by the Wild Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The peasants affirm that from Delos northwards there are only hares, while rabbits only are found to the south. Delos itself would appear to be still contested by these two species, which never interbreed. Other wild mammals include the Pine Marten (Martes martes), the Weasel (Mustella nivalis), the Hedgehog (Erinaceus Europaeus) and the Mole (Talpa caeca). In his Faune de la Grèce (Athens, 1878), Th. de Heldreich mentions the Otter (Lutra lutra) as occurring in Corfu; it has probably been exterminated since that time. Squirrels do not seem to be found; but some kind of nocturnal Dormouse (Glis glis or, perhaps, Dryomys nitedula) is fairly plentiful in the pine-tree areas. The Corfu peasants call it Petania (Flyer) on account of its huge leaps from tree to tree.

  In the mountains of Crete the long-horned Ibex (Capra hircus cretensis) can still be found, but it is now very rare. It is known by the local name of Agrimi.

  The marine mammals are represented by the Monk Seal (Monachus monachus). Until World War II, a small colony of these seals still inhabited the tiny island of Erikousa to the north of Corfu, but none have been seen since the war. The Monk Seal is no longer found in the Aegean either, and it is probably a disappearing species. Although not eaten, it is killed by the fishermen who accuse it of robbing and damaging their nets and lobster-pots. The Common Dolphin (Delphinius delphis) and the Common Porpoise (Phocaena phocaena) are very plentiful. The Bottle-nosed Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is rarer; its presence is often betrayed, especially at night, by its harsh and snorty breathing.

  All the islands have a varied, though never very abundant, bird population, including most of the more common European species and many migrants. The Golden Eagle and the Griffon Vulture (Aquila chrysaetos and Gyps fulvus) can sometimes be seen soaring above the mountains. The Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) and the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) are rare; but the Scops Owl (Otus scopa) and the Little Owl (Athene nocturna) are very common. The first is known as Gionis and the second as Koukouvaya in imitation of their cries. The Little Owl, as its name implies, was sacred to Athene in classical times and its picture appears on many of the Athenian coins. The Magpie (Pica pica) is plentiful and so is the Raven (Corvus corax); but the other Crows, so common on the mainland, appear to be rarer.

  The Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), the Hoopoe (Upupa epops) and the Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) are among the more striking and rarer birds. The drabber Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) is plentiful in gardens and coppices and can sometimes be heard singing in full midday.

  Several species of Gulls, including the Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) and the Black-headed Gull (L. ridibundus) fly around the islands. The Pigeons, Doves, Swallows, and Swifts are well represented. Among the smaller birds, the Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) flies in small flocks, especially in summer when the various thistles are seeding.

  The migrant species include the White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), the Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), the Great White Egret (Egretta alba), the Grey and the Purple Heron (Ardea cinerea and A. purpurea), the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), the Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), the Coot (Fulica atra), the Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) and the Snipe (Gallinago gallinago). These species, with the exception of the Coot, are becoming rarer as their habitats are given over to cultivation and the game-birds are more hunted.

  Reptiles and Amphibians are plentiful on all the islands except the smallest. The only venomous snake is the Horned Viper (Vipera ammodytes meridionalis). The harmless snakes are far more common and include the water-loving Ringed Snake and Tesselated Snake (Natrix natrix and N. tesselata); also the beautiful Leopard Snake (Elaphe situla) with its striking red and black markings. These last three snakes are of a peaceful disposition. But there is another serpent, whose bad temper has earned it the name of the Angry Snake (Coluber viridi-flavus carbonarius), which will attack even without provocation and sometimes hang on bulldog-like after biting. Though it is not poisonous, it is much feared by the peasantry who call it Saïta or Saïtià (Javelin) as it will sometimes dart out at its victim from a bush or tree.

  Among the Lizards, the Agama Lizard (Agamo stellio) is the most striking as, with its large size – up to 30 cm, black and white coloration, and sharply pointed scales, it puts one in mind of a miniature dinosaur. The Disc-fingered Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) has adhesive discs on its fingers which allow it to run across smooth walls inside houses which it often enters in pursuit of winged insects. It is quite harmless, but held in superstitious dread by the peasants who call it Molintiri (Defiler).

  The islands harbour the ‘Greek’ Land Tortoise (Testudo hermanni) and two freshwater terrapins, the European Pond Tortoise (Emys orbicularis) and the rarer Caspian Terrapin (Clemys caspica). The False Hawksbill Turtle (Caretta caretta), which reaches a length of 1 metre, is sometimes seen, especially in the Ionian Sea.

  Amphibians are plentiful in the larger well-watered islands. Among these are the Greek Newt (Trituris vulgaris graeca), the Common Toad (Bufo bufo) and the Green Toad (B. viridis); the male of the latter has a long musical croak resembling the trill of a bird. Frogs include the Agile Frog (Rana dalmatina), the Greek Frog (Rana graeca) and the Marsh Frog (Rana ridibunda). The latter is the species celebrated by Aristophanes in his comedy The Frogs, and its loud call of ‘kek-kek-kek-croax-croax’ proves that the ancient playwright was a good observer of Nature. The beautiful little Tree Frog (Hyla arborea), with its polished emerald-green back and snow-white belly, is common, especially in gardens and in orchards. It lives during most of the summer among the shiny leaves of Orange and Lemon Trees and climbs easily by means of the adhesive discs on its palms and toes. In autumn it returns to some pond or pool for mating and laying its eggs, which develop into tadpoles as with other frogs.

  Owing to the small size of their rivers, the islands are poor in freshwater fish. Minnow, Dace and Roach represented by Leucaspius stymphalicus, Leuciscus peloponensis and Rutilus pleurobipunctatus. Perhaps the commonest fish is the Central American Mosquito-fish (Gambusia affinis) which was introduced before and after World War II to help combat malaria by destroying the aquatic Mosquito-larvae. It has spread itself to many of the streams, ponds and marshes. The Common Eel (Anguilla anguilla) inhabits some of the larger ponds and streams.

  The Invertebrates, Insects, Spiders, Crustacea, etc., are those of the south-eastern European region. The most spectacular of the Insects is the Oleander Hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) which has a wing span of 12 cm and a conspicuous green colour marbled with white and pink. Its huge green caterpillar is equally striking and will raise the front end of its body in a menacing manner when startled.

  The islands’ mountain streamlets contain a freshwater Crab; Potamon fluviatilis for the Ionian Islands and Potamon potamios for those in the Aegean.

  *

  A few words may be said finally about a phenomenon which can be observed in the Greek seas during the summer months, especially August and September. This is a phosphorescent sea, which seems to be brightest when a thunderstorm is impending. An evening swim is then an experience that will long be remembered as a stream of green sparks seems to be swirling past one’s body. The cause of this display is Noctiluca miliaris, a minute unicellular animalcule which is only just visible to the naked eye. Under the microscope this organism is shaped rather like a tiny cherry, the stalk being a short flagellum with which it propels itself through the water.

  Index

  Acanthus pattern, origins of 1

  Achilles 1

  Actium, Battle of 1, 2

  Aegina 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; destruction of 1

  Aeolia (Venezis) 1

  Aeschylus 1

&nb
sp; Aesculapion, the (at Cos) 1, 2, 3, 4

  Aesculapius 1, 2

  Aetos, Mount (Black Mountain) 1, 2, 3, 4

  Agnonda 1

  Akrivie Phragopoula (Gobineau) 1

  Albania 1, 2

  Alcaeus 1

  Alexander the Great 1, 2, 3, 4

  Alexandria 1, 2, 3

  Alonnessus 1

  Amanades 1

  Amazons 1, 2

  Amorgos 1

  Amphitrite 1

  Anargyros, College of 1

  Anchises 1

  Andromachos of Crete 1

  Andros (island) 1, 2, 3; (town) 1

  Anticythera 1

  Antigonus 1

  Antiope 1

  Antipaxos 1

  Antissa 1

  Antony, Mark 1, 2, 3, 4

  Apelles 1

  Aphaia, temple of (Aegina) 1, 2

  Aphrodite 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; birthplace of 1

  Apocalypse, The 1, 2

  Apollo: (Delian) 1, 2, 3; birth of 1;

  temple of 1;

  (Dorian) 1

  Apollodorus 1

  Apollo Kerneies, temple of 1

  Apollo Kourotrophos 1

  Apollona 1

  Apollonius 1

  Apollo Panionic, temple of 1

  Argostoli, Gulf of 1

  Ariadne 1, 2, 3

  Arion 1

  Aristarchus 1

  Aristodamos 1

  Aristotle 1, 2

  Artemidoros 1

  Artemis 1

  Asfendiou 1

  Asproti 1

  Assos 1

  Astipalea 1

  Astypalea 1, 2

  Atabyros, Mount 1, 2

  Athena 1, 2, 3

  Athenaios 1

  Athos, Mount 1, 2

  Athos peninsula, monasteries on 1, 2, 3

  Atlantis 1

  Bacchus (islet) 1

  Barbarossa, Khair-ed-Din 1

  Bellerophon 1

  Bent, Theodore 1

  Bouboulina 1

  Bowra, C. M. 1

  Bradford, Ernle 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

  Brindisi 1, 2, 3

  Bronze Age 1, 2, 3

  Brooke, Rupert 1, 2, 3

  Brutus 1

  Bull cult (Crete) 1, 2

  Butcher’s Dance, the (Hasapiko) 1

  Butterflies, Valley of the (Rhodes) 1

  Byron, Lord 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

  Byzantine chapel (Samos) 1

  Cabeiri, the 1, 2

  Caesar, Julius 1, 2

  Calavria 1

  Callimachus 1

  Callimorpha hera L 1

  Callithea 1, 2

  Calvos, Andreas 1

  Calymnos 1, 2, 3, 4; sponge industry of 1

  Cameirus 1, 2, 3, 4

  Campos, the (Chios) 1

  Carpathos 1

  Carrack, The Grand 1

  Cartwright, Joseph 1

  Casos 1

  Cassiopi 1

  Cassius 1, 2

  Castelorizo 1, 2

  Cavafy, C. P. 1

  Cephalonia 1, 2

  Cerceteus, Mount 1, 2

  Chanea 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Chaos (Sicily) 1

  Chares of Lindos 1

  Chios 1, 2, 3; as birthplace of Homer 1;

  cultivation of mastic plant 1

  Chora 1

  Chronos 1, 2

  Cicero 1, 2

  Cisterns, water 1

  Clara Rodos 1

  Clement of Alexandria 1

  Cleobolus 1

  Cleon 1

  Cleopatra 1, 2, 3

  Codex Porphyrius 1

  Colonna, Cape 1

  Colossus of Maroussi (Miller) 1

  Colossus of Rhodes, the 1

  Columns, temple 1

  Comnenos, Emperor Alexis 1

  Companion Guide to the Greek Islands, The (Bradford) 1

  Corfu (island) 1, 2; battles at 1;

  British occupation of 1;

  climate 1;

  cricket 1;

  dances 1;

  fortress 1, 2;

  French occupation of 1, 2, 3;

  history of 1;

  museum 1;

  processions 1;

  saint of see St Spiridion;

  town 1;

  trees 1;

  Turkish invasion of 1;

  Venetian rule in 1

  Corinthian column 1, 2

  Cos 1, 2, 3

  Cretans: characteristics of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

  Crete 1; birthplace of Zeus 1;

  history 1, 2;

  homosexuality in 1;

  literature of 1;

  mythology see Double axe, Labyrinth, Minos, Minotaur; poetry 1;

  trees 1;

  see also under Knossos, Phaestos, Heracleion etc.

  Cricket (in Corfu) 1

  Cycnus 1

  Cynthus, Mount 1

  Cypress trees 1, 2, 3

  Cyprus 1, 2, 3, 4

  Cysthine 1

  Cythera 1, 2, 3

  Daedalus 1, 2

  D’Annunzio, Gabriele 1

  Delos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; harbour 1, 2;

  museum 1, 2;

  Mycenean lions at 1, 2;

  mythology 1, 2;

  temples of 1, 2

  Demetrius Polyorcetes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

  Demodotus 1

  Demosthenes 1

  De Nervel, Gerard 1

  Devil’s Tower, the 1

  Dicte, Mount 1

  Dictynna 1

  Diodorus 1, 2

  Dionysus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; temple of (at Naxos) 1

  Dodecanese Islands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Domitian 1

  Doric column 1, 2

  Doric period, homosexuality in 1

  Double axe 1

  Duse, Eleonora 1

  Earthquakes 1, 2, 3

  Electrical storms 1

  Elgin Marbles 1

  Elias, Mount 1

  Elli, the 1, 2

  Elytis, Odysseas 1

  Ephesus 1, 2

  Epicurus 1

  Epidaurus 1, 2, 3

  Epioni 1

  Eressos 1, 2, 3

  Erix, Mount (Sicily) 1, 2

  Erotokritos, The 1

  Errikusa 1

  Euboea 1, 2

  Eumaeus 1

  Euphranos 1

  Evans, Sir Arthur 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

  Fallermeyer, Professor 1

  Fengari, Mount 1, 2

  Finley, M. I. 1

  Fokiali, The 1

  Food, Greek 1

  Forests and re-afforestation, Greek 1, 2

  Foscolo, Ugo 1

  Galanopoulous and Bacon 1

  Galata 1

  Ghika (painter) 1

  Giophoros, River 1

  Goats 1

  Gobineau, Joseph Arthur, Comte de 1

  Golden Age 1

  Gortyna labyrinth 1, 2, 3

  Gortys, Law of 1

  Govino Bay 1

  Gozon, Chevalier de 1

  Graves, Robert 1

  Greek language 1, 2

  Gymnopaidia 1

  Hagia Triada 1

  (On) Harbours (Timosthenes) 1

  Hasapiko 1

  Hawkes, Jacquetta 1

  Hecate 1

  Helepolis, the 1, 2

  Helios 1

  Hephaestus 1, 2

  Hera 1; temple of (at Samos) 1, 2

  Heracleion 1, 2, 3; museum 1

  Heracles 1, 2; shrine to 1

  Hermes of Andros 1; herms 1

  Herodotus 1, 2

  Hesiod 1, 2

  Hioni 1

  Hippocrates 1, 2; plane tree of 1

  Hippocratic oath 1

  Hippodamnus 1

  Hippolyta, Queen 1, 2

  Hofmannsthal, Hugo von 1

  Homer 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

  Homosexuality 1

  ‘Horns of Consecration’ 1

  Hospitality, Greek 1

  Hydra 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Hygeia 1

  Ialysos 1, 2, 3,
4

  Icaria 1

  Icon painting 1

  Ida, Mount 1, 2

  Iera 1, 2

  Iliad, The 1, 2

  Ion 1

  Ionian column 1, 2

  Ionian Islands 1, 2

  Ios 1, 2

  Ithaca 1, 2

  Juktas, Mount 1

  Kahr, Egon 1

  Kalamatiano 1

  Kallikanzaros 1

  Kalloni 1, 2

  Karaburna 1

  Karaghiosis 1

  Karamanlis 1

  Kardaki spring 1

  Kardamena 1

  Kardamyla 1

  Katapontismos 1

  Kazanzaki, Nikos 1, 2, 3

  Kea 1, 2, 3

  Kilion 1

  Kimolos 1

  Knights of Jerusalem, Ancient Order of the 1

  Knossos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; museum 1

  Kolokotrones 1

  Koukounaries beach 1

  Kovari, Mount 1

  Krakatoa 1, 2

  Kythnos 1, 2, 3

  Labyrinth 1, 2, 3, 4

  Ladas, Alexis 1, 2

  Laganas, bay of 1

  Lasithion 1

  Lassithi Mountains 1

  Lawson, J. C. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Lear, Edward 1, 2

  Lefkas 1, 2, 3

  Lemnos 1, 2; healing earth of 1

  Leprosy 1

  Leros 1

  Lesbian: slaves 1; wine 1, 2

  Lesbos 1, 2, 3, 4

  Leto 1

  Levendissa 1

  Limena 1

  Lindos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; harbour at 1;

  temple of 1

  Linear A script 1

  Linear B script 1

  Lithgow, William 1

  Livadhia 1

  Locusts 1

  Lucretius 1

  Lycabettos, Mount 1

  Lycomedes, King 1, 2

  Lysimachus 1

  Makri Ammos 1