1883.] on the Island of Socotra and its Becent Bevelations. 305 



composes the greater part of its superficies the plateau appears barren. 

 Where, however, the limestone has rotted, a series of nooks and 

 crevices occur, in which, where a soil has collected, an Aloe, 

 KalancJioe, or other succulent finds a congenial habitat. But upon the 

 limestone j)lateau, especially at the eastern and western ends of the 

 island, occur depressions varying in width from some hundred yards 

 up to a mile or more, girt on every side by a cavernous limestone 

 cli£f, with perhaps a narrow outlet through it at one or more points. 

 These, which have all the appearance of lagoons, or at least of 

 enclosed water-basins, are floored now by a rich red soil on which a 

 crop of coarse grass, small herbs, and low trees vegetates. On the 

 shore plains the soil is light and sandy. 



In its climate Socotra contrasts favourably with the adjacent shores 

 of Arabia and Africa. 



During the N.E. monsoon, from October to A2:)ril, it is cool. 

 January and February are the most pleasant months. But diuing 

 the rest of the year it is exceedingly disagreeable. Eain falls twice 

 in the year, at the changes of the monsoons, at which time the stream- 

 courses are filled with migLty torrents. The temperature of course 

 varies much with the altitude, and one may pass in the course of a 

 few hours from the tropical heat of the shore plains to the cool 

 temperate air of the mountain ranges. The average temperature on 

 the plains in January is said to be about 70°, but in the hotter 

 months is as much as 86°. But on the plateaux the temperature at 

 nights often goes down to 52°. The higher peaks are, at least in the 

 cold season, frequently enshrouded in mists, and at night very heavy 

 dews fall. The climate on the hills is very healthy; but on the 

 plains, especially at the changes of monsoons, fever is prevalent. 



Of zoological features one of the most striking is the paucity of 

 indigenous mammals. The antelopes and rodents of the adjacent 

 continents are absent from Socotra, and there are but two mammals 

 Indigenous: a bat — of which, unfortunately, we did not obtain a 

 specimen — and a civet cat. This latter is a type widely dispersed in 

 South Asia and tropical Africa. Eats and mice occur in the villages, 

 but are probably introduced. Birds are plentiful, so are lizards, 

 ind there are some snakes. The rivers are stocked with fish, and 

 JQ them crabs are also found in abundance. Land mollusca are, as 

 alight be expected, frequent, and the whole island teems with insect 

 -ife. 



Considerable interest attached to an investigation of the avifauna 

 )f Socotra. It is well known that in several Indian Ocean islands 

 arge so-called wingless birds formerly existed, several of which have 

 )ecome extinct within recent historical time. The Epiornis of Mada- 

 gascar, the Dodo of Mauritius, the Solitaire of Rodriguez are 

 ixamples. Vague rumours credited Socotra with the possession of a 

 lidine bird of like character ; Wellsted in his account of the island 

 peaks of it as a Cassowari. Of such a bird no traces exist at present, 

 lor could any legendary reference to such a bird be discovered. 



X 2 



