in the vicinity of Tunis and Biserta. 103 



bours in the Mediterranean. That however is out of the question, 

 the channel being so shallow and filled up with sand, that it 

 would be a Herculean task to clear it out, and when done, pro- 

 bably the very first north-easter would fill it up again. The lake, 

 the entrance of which is about a mile from the sea, is a beautiful 

 sheet of water about 20 miles in circumference, and from 3 to 7 

 fathoms deep. It swarms with various kinds of fish ; an exten- 

 sive weir reaches across the mouth, and the fisheries are very 

 valuable. Benayed, a wealthy Moor, who is the present pro- 

 prietor, assured us that he pays an annual rent to the Bey of 

 Tunis of nearly 3300/. sterling. The surrounding country is most 

 beautiful ; it abounds with game, chiefly boars, partridges, hares 

 and wildfowl, and is clothed down to the water's edge with olive- 

 trees and corn-fields. This is I believe the richest district in the 

 regency ; I could have fancied myself in one of the most beautiful 

 parts of England, and the climate is delightful. The upper lake 

 is freshwater, and nearly as large as the salt one, but only 6 or 

 7 feet deep. On the upper part is a deep and extensive marsh, 

 out of which Gibel Tschar rises almost perpendicularly to the 

 height of 2000 feet and upwards. This lake also swarms with fish, 

 chiefly large barbel of 10 lbs. weight, gray mullet [Mugil Chilo, 

 Cuv.), basse [Lahrax Lupus^ Cuv.), spotted shad [Alosa Finta) 

 and eels. The lakes are connected by a river winding through 

 a rich plain about two miles in extent, more or less cultivated 

 according to the encroachments made by the floods in winter. 

 From the great variety of country, consisting of hill, plain, and 

 undulating ground, olive-groves, thick brushwood, corn-fields, 

 marsh, and rich pastures, it is a very general resort of the 

 feathered tribes, as will be seen from the following list. 



Vultur fulvus . 1 Seen in great numbers on Gibel Tschar, 



Cathartes percnopterus . J at the head of the upper lake of Biserta : 

 they probably breed there. 



Falco tinnunculus. A few seen : breed on the cliffs at Cape 

 Carthage. 



F. tinnunculdides. 1 These birds do not appear to remain, as only a 



F. rufipes. J few were seen on my first arrival. 



F. Bonelli*. 



F. brachydactylus^. 



F. haliaetus. Common on the lakes of Tunis and Biserta at the 

 fisheries. 



F. alhicilla. A few seen in the marshes round the lakes of Biserta. 



F. ater *. 



F. cyaneus. One or two only. 



F, rufus. Found in the marshes : not very common. 



* These birds I understand are not uncommon, none however were seen, 

 but having obtained some well-preserved skins of all three species that were 

 shot near Tunis last winter, it is perhaps as well to mention them. 



