(243 ) 



ON THE BIRDS OF SOUTHERN ARABIA. 

 By W. E. OGILVIE-GEANT. 

 WITH FIELD NOTES BY A. BLAYNEY PEECIVAL. 



[Plate X.] 



IN the spring of 1800, the Governor of Aden, General O'Moore Creagh, V.C, 

 finding it advisable to malce a political trip through the interior of Southern 

 Arabia, wrote to the Director of the Natural History Museum suggesting that a 

 natiiralist should accompany the expedition. 



The zoology of Arabia being still very imperfectly known, Professor E. Ray 

 Lankester readily acceded to the Governor's most kind request, and asked me to under- 

 take the arrangement of the details. The necessary funds for the expedition were 

 partly supplied by grants from the Royal Society and the Hon. Walter Rothschild. 



A willing volunteer was found in Mr. A. Blayney Percival, who had already 

 spent three years collecting zoological specimens in the Transvaal and British 

 Central Africa ; and the services of the late Mr. W. Dodson, a professional 

 ta.xidermist, were also engaged. It was with great regret that we learnt of the 

 death of this promising young naturalist, which took place at Aden on October 

 20th, just as the expedition was on the point of returning to England. Fever 

 and acute dj'sentery, brought on by drinking impure water in tlie Abiau country, 

 rapidly proved fatal ; and Mr. Percival very nearly lost his life from the same 

 cause. As is too often the case, no care was taken to boil the drinking water, 

 and there can be little doubt that had this very necessary jirecantion been followed, 

 no serious consequences would have resulted. 



General Creagh finding it necessary to make his trip much earlier than he had 

 at first contemplated, Messrs. Percival and Dodson made a somewhat hurried start 

 from England, and arrived at Aden on August 0th. They found all arrangements 

 complete, and the expedition only awaiting their arrival to start. It had been the 

 Governor's intention to make a somewhat extensive trip through Southern Arabia, 

 but on August 19th he was unfortunately obliged to return to Aden on important 

 business, which ultimately prevented his return. 



This unforeseen event rendered it impossible for Mr. Percival to travel in parts 

 of Southern Arabia which he would otherwise have visited. While with General 

 Creagh's party the naturalists proceeded to Shaik Othman and Lahej, and thence 

 worked their way north by Al Anad, Jebel Mauif and A\ Milah as far as Jimil, 

 returning south by a more easterly route through open sandy desert to Lahej, which 

 was reached on August 18th. 



Before returning to Aden the Governor specially recommended Mr. Percival 

 and his party to the care of the Sultan of Lahej, who treated them with the 

 greatest kindness while they remained in his country, providing them daily with 

 fowls and fresh meat, and placing camels and horses at their disposal. At this 

 time Mr. Percival made the acquaintance of Mr. G. W. Bury, an Englishman 

 who has done more travelling and exploring in south-west Arabia than any 



