i68 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



in the Jordan basin, is very abundant in the marshy lakes east of Damascus, 

 into which the Barada (ancient Abana) and the Sabirany (ancient Pharpar) 

 empty themselv^es. 



It is not known whether the Arabs have a distinctive name for it. Dr. 

 Lortet has observed that the male hatches its young in its mouth after the 

 same fashion as Chromis simonis, and probably all the other species of the 

 genus. Its spawn is much smaller than that of Ch. simonis, but of the 

 same colour. 



15. Hcmichromis sacra. Giinther. P. Z. S., 1864, p. 493. Lortet. 

 Poiss. et Rept. du lac de Tiberiade, pi. 



D. ^, A. |V. ^, P. 13. L.lat. 32-34- 



Plate XVIII. Fig. 2. 



Discovered by me in 1864, and described from our specimens by Dr. 

 Giinther. It lives among the bulrushes and flags in different parts of the 

 Lake of Gennesaret, especially near the outlet from the lake, and is also 

 to be found in the three well-known fountains of IMudawarah, Et Tin, and 

 Tabighah, probably attracted by the warmth of the water, in which so 

 many of these fishes seem to luxuriate. It has not been found either in 

 Lake Huleh or in the stream of the Jordan itself The habits of propaga- 

 tion, as observed by Dr. Lortet, are similar to those oiCh. simonis, described 

 above. The eggs and young fry are to be found in the maw of the male 

 in the month of June, and when they emerge from their shelter are about 

 •35 inch long. Dr. Lortet frequently observed a large number of fry 

 already hatched, and suspended in a large bladder, while the other half of 

 the eggs shewed no signs of development. The spawn is larger and of a 

 darker colour than that of Chromis simonis. 



The genus HcniicJiromis is, like Chromis, exclusively Ethiopian ; and 

 the occurrence in such variety of these African forms in the Jordan 

 basin is one of the most significant links which attach the Palestine Fauna 

 to the Ethiopian. 



