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



ranges to its lowest limit ; tliis bird is unknown at Hajeilah, 

 and is never seen at Menaldia or Wasil. 



The half-ruined caravanserai of Wasil (a small village 

 perched on a spur of the main heiglits at 4200 feet) is a 

 convenient halting-place on the long climb up to Menakha. 

 It is reached by a steep zig-zag up from the gorge of the 

 Hejjan about four hours from Hajeilali. The traveller should 

 time his journey so as to be out of this gorge before the 

 morning sun strikes into it. This involves a start from 

 Hajeilah at not later than 3 a.m. in summer. 



Menakha is six hours from Wasil up a winding mountain- 

 road — a fortress-town of some 8000 inhabitants^ at an 

 elevation of 7500 feet. The town itself is built along a spur 

 of Mount Shibam (the culminating point of this massif). 



Menakha^ in the winter months, is beset by mountain 

 mists most afternoons. These mists drive up from below 

 and hang about till late at night and, sometimes, all next 

 day. They are thick and damp, and do much to keep the 

 coffee flourishing during the winter drought. The terrain 

 consists of deep ravines and soaring heights that seem to 

 overhang the town. The neighbourhood is badly wooded 

 and there is little natural cover, thougli many birds take 

 refuge between the stones that form field-terraces (a common 

 feature of the landscape). Cod'ee gives good cover, though 

 difficult to work ; it does not flourish above 7000 feet or 

 below 4000 feet. Walnut and almond groves occur in 

 sheltered ravines. Apricot and plum orchards grow up to 

 8000 feet, and attract numbers of Pseudacanthis yemenensis, 

 which I first met here. This bird seems to be very local ; I 

 only saw it at Menakha and Sok-al-Khamis and^ as a cage- 

 bird, at Sanaa : I estimate its vertical range at 7000- 

 8000 feet. All bird-life is scarce at 9000 feet in the winter. 

 Near tlie summit of Shibam I only saw an occasional Chat 

 or Ground-lark ; both are very common round Menakha. 



Even the big birds of prey seemed to prefer precipices at 

 mid-altitude, and spent the night on sheltered ledges. Any 

 carcase would draw vultures — Gyps, Neophron, and Vultur 

 monachus. I often noted Lammergeyer here soaring over 



