170 



FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



little streamlet last year in the month of April, not more than four 

 hundred yards from the lake. The stream was scarcely more than a 

 thread of water, across which I stood astride. It was about a foot deep. 

 One continuous file of harbours, as the Arab fishermen call the Silurus, 

 was struggling up the stream, evidently on their way to spawn in the 

 fountain, or in the mud holes near it. The fishes pressed on regardless 

 of my presence, the snout of each touching the tail of the emigrant in 

 front. In places the water was not sufficient to cover them ; in one or 

 two places there was no water at all. Still in single file they pressed 

 on, over land as well as in water. I took them out rapidly with my 

 hands, and threw them to some distance. They squeaked and shrieked 

 with a hissing sound, like a cat at bay, and rapidly floundered back to 

 the streamlet, working their way rapidly among grass or over gravel. I 

 selected six specimens, each over three feet long, and making a sack of 

 my 'abeih, slung them on my horse, they still hissing and squeaking 

 defiance, and carried them to our camp, near Semakh, three hours' 

 distance. They were still alive and vigorous, and continued so for two 

 days, when the survivors of the demands of the cook were remitted to 

 the water. We all considered them excellent eating, and far superior 

 to any other fish of the lake. The flesh is firm and rich, like an eel's. 

 The extraordinary migration, mentioned above, which seemed to surprise 

 my Arab attendant (not being a fisherman) as much as myself, explains 

 the presence of these great fish in the Round Fountain. Since writing 

 the above I am interested to find that Dr. Lortet also notices the re- 

 markable vocal powers of this fish. 



FAMILY, CYPRINODONTID.E. 



17. Cyprinodon dispar. Riipp. Atl. Fische, p. 66, pi. 18. 



D. 9, A. 10, V. 7, P. 16. L. lat. 26. L. transv. 9. 



This tiny fish, rarely reaching a length of two inches, swarms by 

 myriads in the little thermal and saline springs which fringe the shores of 

 the Dead Sea. In the overcharged waters of the sea itself they perish. 

 Ruppell first discovered the species in hot salt springs near the Red Sea, 

 I found it in swarms in a brine spring near Jebel Usdum, at the south end 



