570 Letters, Extracts, and Notes. [Ibis, 



denhami. We also have two females of Savile's Biistard, 

 of wliich I had only cocks last trip. The Kori is the large 

 Bustard which I did not get on the last journey, hut was 

 conspicuous ])y reason of its lavender-grey looking wings 

 in flight. There is a tremendous lot of lavender-grey about 

 the upper wing-spread and the back is a warm light olive- 

 brown in colour (turkey speckle-feathers). 



''We stayed a week at Fasher with Col. and Mrs. Savile, 

 who were like everyone we meet in the Sudan — kindness 

 itself, and were able there to make all preparations for 

 Jebel Marra in ease and comfort, even luxury. 



'^ On 8 February we set sail for Jebel Marra, this time to 

 enter the mountains at the north-east end of the massif, and 

 at the end of nine days arrived here at Kurra, 5.250 feet, 

 and the limit of camel transport. Kurra is the residence of 

 one of the eight Shartar's or Far-Princes of Jebel Marra, 

 and our plans for the high altitudes are now in progress. 

 A Inrge number of donkeys are necessary now, and we hope 

 to start off in a few days' time. Meanwhile, there are nice 

 things here — not only in the clear running-water line, but 

 in birds. However, I will not go into them more than to 

 say we have just shot a Secretary Bird, male adult, the first 

 we have seen. Unfortunately, it was moulting a bit, and all 

 the head-quills are not fully grown, but they seem very broad. 



'' It is an unusually cold year ; even at El Fasher, 2600 feet, 

 we had H° F. of frost one night, and here at 5250 feet on 

 night ]6/17 February we had 8° F. of frost, mercifully no 

 wind. I'he day temperature, however, goes up to 87° or so. 

 But we are Ijoth very fit, and much looking forward to the 

 unknown ahead of us." 



Mr. Willoughby Lowe writes to Mr. D. Bannerman, who 

 has kindly allowed me to print part of his letter, from 

 Kalokitting, 1 April, 1921, as follows : — 



" We arrived here last night, having come through from 

 the north of Jebel Harra. The northern part is, so far as 

 I can judge (onlj' having seen the soiith in the distance), 

 by far the best part. W^e discovered a large high plateau 



