COLLECTING ORTHOPTEKA IN THE CAUCASUS. 41 



thorns of the steppe-country. As I left Borjom at dusk I could hear, 

 as the train slowly wended its way down the valley, the stridulation of 

 I^ociista, probably L. ciridissiina, L., possibly L. caadata, and of an 

 <>l)/ut/inscdis, or more probably of the allied PsorodonotKs specttlariK, 

 F. de W., which is common in these mountains. 



At daybreak next morning we reached Batum, where the hot and 

 moist climate produces a most luxuriant and dense vegetation. The 

 green and wooded mountains around were covered with mist and cloud, 

 but the sun was hot and the air close. The scenery reminded me of 

 Madeira at this season of the year, though the flora is not noticeably 

 southern. I saw no agaves, nor palms, nor cactus, and was more 

 struck by the denseness and luxuriousness of the vegetation than by 

 any other peculiarity. In the afternoon I visited Zelenui Muis, the 

 Green Hill, a few miles from the town, the estate of Mr. Passek, whose 

 wife kindly refreshed me with water-melon, biscuits, cake, jam, 

 bananas, tea and cognac, after collecting round the garden. Here I 

 only found the common things. Mantis rdi<iiom, L., Tettix bipunctatiis, L., 

 Acrida tiirrita, L., Stanroderiis bicolor, Charp., Kpacro)iiia thalaxnina, 

 Oedipoda caerulescenx, L., Paehytijltis daniciis, L., Ac7-otj/lits patriielu, 

 Sturn., Xipliidiinit fuscuiii, ConocepJialiis nitiduluK, Oeeantlnis pcUticens, 

 Scop., and Neiiiobiii!> lu'ipleni, Fisch. The next day, when I had hoped 

 to make an excursion to Bortchkha, some 40 versts to the south of 

 Batum, which was recommended to me as an interesting spot, a tropical 

 downpour lasted all day. I was told it is no uncommon thing at 

 Batum for such rain to last an entire week, which has earned the town 

 an unenviable and impolite nickname. It was not without relief that 

 I went on board the good ship " Grand Duke Constantine," at mid- 

 night, bound for Odessa, although I had to share a tiny cabin and a 

 dollshouse washstand with four other travellers, with the port perma- 

 nently closed by the captain's orders. 



And so the field-work was finished. Next morning at six, as we 

 put into Sukhum-Kale, oar eyes were gladdened by a perfectly cloudless 

 view of Elbruz himself in all his majesty, rearing his snow-clad twin- 

 peaks Avell over 18,000 feet. Our boat, dignified by the name of a fast 

 direct steamer, took four days to reach Odessa, spending much time 

 calling at various ports, which certainly added interest to the trip, 

 especially as the weather, on the whole, was exceedingly fine. Thus 

 we called at the picturesque gorge of Gagry, at Sochy, Tuapse, at ihe 

 wind-swept Novorossisk, the great exporting-port for the grain of the 

 Kuban and Tver provinces. Here many passengers went ashore to 

 catch a train to St. Petersburg. " Surely," I remarked, "that is rather 

 a long journey?" "Oh no," they replied, "only three-and-a-half days." 

 That " (mbj " speaks more eloquently of conditions of travel in " Holy 

 Russia " than many a long chapter of experiences. We called, too, at 

 Theodosia, at the sunny town of Yalta, nestling in a cirque of high 

 rocks, skirted the mountainous coast of the Crimea, past Balaclava, 

 stopped to have tea at Sebastopol, at the time under martial law ; then 

 good-bye to sunshine and warmth, for the next morning brought us to 

 another wet day in Odessa, when I missed my train, the boat being a 

 little late, and was obliged to wait twenty-fours for another. A cold 

 wind, but a warm welcome, in Warsaw, a hurried visit to the 

 University, ten minutes chat with the learned Professor Schtchel- 

 kanovtsefi", engaged upon the Orthoptera of the Caucasus, a glance at 

 his collection, then the Nord-Express, and home. 



