64 NOTITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXII. 1915. 



but what was alread}* known or to be expected was found. The most interesting 

 mammal we obtained was a beantifnl old Wild Cat, Felis libijca margaritae Loche ; 

 it is of special valne because nearh" from the typical localit)'. Hares were not as 

 plentiful as in 1912 ; they were still mostly np in the hammada, coming to the 

 river-bed a month later, when the vegetation on the plateaus dries up. Small 

 mammals are scarce, probably on account of the periodical though apparently rare 

 floods. The valley was very beautiful (PI. II.). The Zizyphus bushes and huge 

 old Terebinth trees were green, many small plants covered the banks in places, 

 and a fair-sized bush, sometimes five or six and even seven feet high, was covered 

 with golden-yellow flowers with a mild, sweet smell. This bush is closely allied 

 to Retama raetam, and is Boelia sj^haerocarpa Webb ; it so much resembles the 

 Rctam that it is, apparently, often mistaken for it when not in flower, by non- 

 botanists. I have only seen it in the valley of the Oned Nra and at Arefidji, between 

 Touggourt and Onargla, but a twig from Arefidji was lost, so that it remained 

 unmentioned in the list of my plants of 1912. 



The Arabs call the Boelia " Bachlul." The " Harmal," Peganum havmala L., 

 was also in full flower, its smell being rather unpleasant. 



The catch of moths was below our expectations, doubtless chiefly because it was 

 mostly too windy ; and hardly more than three nights were really good ones, being 

 quiet, fairly dark, and not too cold. Of butterflies only Pi/rameis cardtii was very 

 numerous ; they were partially worn, bnt many were just being hatched, and these 

 generally rather small. On some days thousands were seen. On the Zizyphus- 

 bnshes the " Blue " Tarucm teophrasttis was not rare, and twice a Swallow-tail was 

 seen. 



Of Mi'litaeii dithpna harterti Rothsch. caterpillars were observed, but no butter- 

 flies were flying yet. Of other insects some nice things were caught, but less than 

 I had hoped for in a place so full of vegetation. One night we had an unpleasant 

 surprise : a perfect invasion of a richly coloured winged Earwig, Forficula lucasi 

 Dohrn. While attending the lamp we were already troubled by them, and when 

 we came home to the " bordj " our faithful Sliman said we would have no sleep, 

 for masses of little beasts with pincers filled the room. This was perfectly true : 

 our beds were full of them, they crept over and entered — or tried to enter — every- 

 thing, doing some damage to a few lepidoptera in papers, settling on our faces, 

 iustifyiug their name by creeping into nose and ear, and generally being a bother. 



On the last of April we left the Oned Nf a and passed the night about 2G to 27 

 kilometres westwards on the hammada, apparently close to where we camped two 

 years before. The night was one of the grandest seen in Africa, though very far 

 from comfortable. The northern sky was absolutely blue-black, for hours continually 

 lit up by lightnings, often as many as four flashes at once, the thunder rolling incess- 

 antly, the sun setting and colouring the horizon to the west and south with blood- 

 red shades. While rain fell in masses in the north, we escaped — though I actually 

 felt three drops on my face — but the gale was strong and we were covered with 

 sand and brown dust. 



The next morning we continued our march to Ghardaia, which we reached in 

 time for luncheon. The hotel was newly whitewashed and painted, and the laborious 

 hostess did all she could for ns, the husband spending his time in looking pleased, 

 serving out drinks, making np accounts — and last but not least enjoying his meals 

 and claret. The food was excellent ; all our old acquaintances were pleased to see us 



