The region is also overrun with a small crow species (loud, riotous, maniacal) and with enormous ravens which are surly, ancient-looking, and seething, and which make sounds like a turkey trying to imitate a toucan and a screaming child. It is surrealism as nature.
The mosquitoes here are big and slow and dumb. But they can still bite you in your sleep. Feh.
Speaking of big slow dumb things, this new your_details.zip virus is pissing me off. It makes me not want to check mail for a few days.
Ghastly Greek+Latin (Score:1)
That's some pretty bad Greco-Latin, particularly as hoplon refers to the shield, the defining piece of equipment carried by the hoplite. A word actually meaning "weapon" would've been nice. :-)