300 NATURAL SCIENCE. April. 



On July 15 the expedition finally left Taveta on its way north, 

 passing round the eastern slopes of Kilima-njaro, and thence taking 

 nearly the same route through Masai-land as that traversed by Mr. 

 Joseph Thomson in the Royal Geographical Society's East African 

 Expedition of 1883-4. ^^ Kikuyu-land, where much difficulty was 

 experienced with the natives, the party diverged to the right, and in 

 the beginning of October reached Ndoro, at the eastern base of 

 Mount Kenia, where they were glad to have a short respite from their 

 laborious journey. The tents here were pitched facing Mount Kenia, 

 so that the travellers might look at its snowy summit whenever the 

 canopy of clouds which generally shrouds it from mortal eyes was 

 lifted. The western side of Mount Kenia is so steep that snow can 

 only remain on it here and there, and it is therefore termed by the 

 Masai the " Oldonyo egere," or "spotted mountain." From this 

 station Count Teleki attempted an ascent of Mount Kenia. This 

 mountain is surrounded by a belt of dense forest, through which the 

 explorer and his men had to cut their way. At a height of about 

 10,100 feet the bamboo thicket was left behind; 500 feet higher the 

 trees became much less numerous, and beyond that height only a few 

 isolated specimens occurred. As on Kilima-njaro so on Mount Kenia, 

 the characteristic tree is a gigantic Groundsel, allied to, but not identical 

 with, Senecio Johnstoni, discovered by Mr. H. H. Johnston on the former 

 mountain.^ When, however, the English translator tells us that a 

 " humming-bird was found on Kilima-njaro at a height of 13, 100 feet," 

 we are compelled to refer to the German original for an explanation, 

 and find, as we had anticipated, that the bird in question was not a 

 Humming-bird but a Sun-bird (Nectarinia), and probably N. johnstoni, 

 a specimen of which has lately been brought back from Mount Kenia 

 by Dr. J. W. Gregory. At the height of about 15,000 feet Count 

 Teleki had a good view of the crater of Kenia, which he calculated 

 to be from 1,000 to 1,200 feet in circumference. The bottom of the 

 crater lay some 600 feet lower than the rim, covered with snow and 

 ice. Count Teleki made the excursion to Kenia alone, his companion 

 being left at Ndoro to recover his health, v/hich had suffered much 

 from the journey. 



On November 4, after a month's stay at Ndoro, v. Hohnel's 

 health was re-established, and he left to join Count Teleki, who had 

 advanced a little for shooting purposes. Proceeding north-west over 

 the spurs of the Aberdare Range, which lay to their left, at an elevation 

 of about 7,000 feet above the sea-level, the united party crossed the 

 Equator on November g, and found themselves in a district inhabited 

 by numerous bands of Masai, with whom, however, they managed to 

 keep on good terms. Proceeding a little further, it was determined 

 that Count Teleki should go direct to Lake Baringo with the main 

 body of the caravan, while v. Hohnel should make a diversion east- 

 wards, through Leikipia, as this high steppe is called, and follow up 

 the river Guaso Nyiro, which flows to the north after rising from 

 Mount Kenia and the Aberdare Range. Von Hohnel pursued the 

 course of this hitherto unexplored stream for several days, when he 

 was compelled by bad health to turn back and rejoin his companion 

 at what Mr. Joseph Thomson calls "the pleasant resting place" of 

 Nyemps situated near the south end of Lake Baringo. Here a pro- 

 longed stay of two months was made, during which period various 



1 Mr. E. G. Baker kindly informs me that the Senecio of Kenia is new, and 

 will shortly be published as 5. Kcniensis. There are, therefore, now known four of 

 these curious arborescent groundsels of the African mountains — namely, S gigas, 

 from Abyssinia, 5. Maiuii, from the Cameroons, and the two above mentioned. 



