134 Mr. W. L. Sclater on [Ibis, 



Account of the journey by G. Wyman Bury. 



I landed at Hodeida on 30 November, 1912, with Ottoman 

 credentials to the Governor of that port, who also controls 

 the districts o£ Bura and lleima. It may be noted here that 

 a passiJort is essential, but is of no use whatever as an 

 introduction to the interior. The Province of Asir, i. e. 

 the whole of northern Yamen, was closed against all but 

 natives, and the southern coastal districts were in a state of 

 revolt, even native traffic being suspended. 



The Governor offered me the choice of Bura, Reima, or 

 Menakha. I chose the last as being furthest inland, highest, 

 and on some sort of a road. 



I left Hodeida early in December with mule-transport, 

 and struck eastwards across the Tihama or maritime plain in 

 the cool of the day, halting for a few hours at Tannan. 

 This is an Ottoman post and caravanserai for travellers some 

 fifteen miles from Hodeida; a useful half-way house on this 

 long stage. 



The next halt was at Bajil, a small town between the foot- 

 liills of the maritime range, thirty-two miles from Hodeida 

 and about 600 feet above sea-level. The intervening 

 country is chiefly desert: sand and low scrub, with occasional 

 belts of bush and sparse mimosa. The ground rises gently 

 to loamy uplands and cultivation, as Bajil is approached. 

 Here there is a fair amount of tall bush, among which 1 saw 

 the yellow Sparrow, Passer cuchlorus, in numbers, the only 

 place where I found it in Yamen. 



Alcemon desertorum occurs on this maritime plain, and 

 Pyrrhulauda melanocephala may be seen frequently outside 

 Hodeida. 



Beyond Bajil there is no more desert, but broad, open 

 plains intersected by foot-hills and moderately fertile, 

 Hornbills were first encountered among the sparse mimosa 

 of Bajil plain. 



The foot-hills close in towards Hajeilah, and the country 

 gets more fertile and better wooded. 



Away to the right of the road is the tall isolated massif 



