Ornithology of the Crimea ^c. 227 



the information gleaned from the Russians being of that vague 

 condemnatory character that justified one in beUeviug that they 

 might be as incorrect in their opinions and inferences as to its 

 character and the insalubrity of its shores, as they appeared to 

 be ill-informed of the capabilities and physical character of that 

 portion of the Sivash which extends from Ghenitchi to Arabat.'^ 



* * t> * " In that water-space, like every other portion of the 

 Sivash seen by us, where devoid of reeds, it was clear, blue, and 

 sparkling, as if the depth of its waters equalled that of the 

 Atlantic.'' * * * * 



"The northern basin of the Sivash is divided from the 

 southern one by a central area, which bears far more, in its 

 usual aspect, that morass-like character which the general 

 reader would be inclined to impute to the term Putrid Sea." 



* * * * In this solitude [the inlet of Changkoi] breed vast 

 numbers of wildfowl ; and all the summer long we found 

 Muscovy Ducksf and flocks of Divers frequenting the lagoons." 



* ^ * * "The rapid evaporation — the extraordinary mirage 

 from the heated atmosphere playing over the surface of this 

 area in a summer day was very striking ; and between sunrise 

 and sunset at that season of the year it was as utterly im- 

 possible to distinguish objects but a mile or so distant upon it 

 as it would be had a cauldron of boiling liquid been there in 

 its place. There are roads through these morasses, only known, 

 however, to the Tartars and smugglers, who are ever at war 

 with Russian custom-houses and tax-gatherers." * ^ ^ ^ 



"We suflFered from nothing but the offence to the sense of 

 smell ; and some of our vessels were months breathing the 

 tainted air. * * the smell was like decayed vegetation mixed 

 with a peculiar odour not unlike gas-water, from which I infer 

 there are bituminous vents in the Sivash * * the exhalations 

 from which give the name of Putrid to this sea." * * * * 



That birds should breed in such a salt marsh is very re- 

 markable, as showing that their food is there to be found, 

 ''The Muscovy Duck and Common Diver or Shag fed and bred 

 in the Sivash in vast numbers ; and in the shoal water and 



t [What species js here referred to ? Surely not Cairina moschata,— 



&2 



