— 22 - 



plants, covered the ground, Cryptospisa ocularis ran about and 

 the only other birds met here were Cryptolopha mackenziana, 

 Camaroptera griseoviridis griseigula and Zosterops virens jacksoni 

 and swarms of Irrisor hollei jacksoni. 



Where the forests and bamboo terminated there was a 

 transition belt to the Erica zone and here bushes and small 

 trees occurred promiscuously, mingled with solitary heather- 

 bushes. This belt extended upwards to about nu elevation of 

 10.500 feet and here were found representatives, partly of the 

 pure alpine bird- life and partly of the regions below. The 

 Erica-ioreat is the vegetation colony which ascends highest up 

 the mountain and in general the twisted and weather-beaten 

 bushes and trees attain a height of about 4—6 metres, although 

 a few trees may be even as much as 15—20 metres. Such a 

 heather- giant measured 2 m. 28 cm. in circumference at breast 

 height. 



Of the birds living in the Erica-ioie&t may be mentioned : 

 Saxlcola torquata salax, which was however rather rare at 

 this altitude. On the other hand neither ErancoUnus schutti 

 schiitti nor Cisticola prinioides prinioides were uncommon. Only 

 a few times did I see at 11.000 feet the rare Ghloropeta nata- 

 lensis similis^ which frequented the dry, dead branches of the 

 heather-bushes. 



The boundary-line of trees on Elgou is marked by small, 

 scraggy bushes of the -EVica-forest, and before these are reached 

 one comes across small patches of snow. But when the last 

 JS'nca- plant is left behind one is then within the limits of 

 the alpine region. 



The Alpine Region and the Highest Plateau of Elgon. 



The vegetation in this region closely resembles the Alpine 

 flora of Kenya, Kilimandjaro and Ruwenzori. There are the 

 weird lobelias and the giant groundsels. Snow falls on these 

 highest points but does not lie long. (Johnston: The Uganda 

 Prot., vol. 1 p. 61). 



Large and small boulders and stones here lie strewn among 

 the grass and plant vegetation or along the sides of the numerous 

 deep gullies, in the bottom of which, as a rule, a little river or 

 brook flows along. A few small, stunted bushes have also strayed 

 here, and in a few places where the streams run smoothly 

 along small clumps of shrubbery have been formed. Along the 

 banks of these streams grow tall Loheliae and giant Senecio 

 Johnsioni, which, remarkably enough however, attain their grea- 

 test size and most imposing dimensions on the highest plateau 

 of the mountain. 



The characteristic plants of this region are bushy species 

 of white, red or yellow flowered Antenaria. Everywhere on the 



