BEITTAIN ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OL BARI3ARY. 91 



tions, until we reached some pretty orchards and vineyards. Here nature 

 was all activity, every tree and bush was alive with insects ; butterflies of 

 the gaudiest colors were flitting from tree to tree, and from sweet-peas, 

 roses, and honeysuckles bees were busily extracting honey ; sometimes a 

 heavy beetle buzzed lazily past us, and the grasshoppers kept up their 

 peculiar whirring sound without intermission. Behind the hills that shut 

 out from us the sea-breeze the rays of the sun were very powerful, and I 

 was glad when we reached a shady lane and found a refuge from the scorch- 

 ing heat. For nearly a mile we now followed a very narrow path that led 

 through groves of orange, fig, and pomegranate trees. The vegetation as 

 we passed along was constantly changing, sometimes on each side a hedge 

 of canes rose to the height of nearly twenty feet, meeting in an arch 

 over our heads ; and then we passed hedges of willows and brambles 

 intermixed with the fantastic limbs of the Barbary fig, round which 

 were twining Convolvuhts sepiiim, and purpurea, and Lathyrus odoratus, 

 covered with their beautiful flowers ; from these we passed to rose 

 trees, vines, acacias, and occasionally pomegranate trees, spangled with 

 their brilliant scarlet blossom. Innumerable climbing plants crept up the 

 stems of the trees and hung their flowers from the arch above, the gayest 

 and the most abundant of all being the Indian Nastursium, so common in 

 our own gardens. After we had proceeded a few hundred yards the foliage 

 became so dense that the rays of the sun could not penetrate it. It was 

 impossible to go farther without sinking over the ankles in mud at every 

 step. Hamet took off his shoes, and I mounted on his shoulders and was 

 carried by him two or three hundred yards. I think these dark places 

 were the most beautiful, but not liking the mode of travelling I was glad 

 to reach dry ground. In the exposed places where the foliage was scanty 

 we frequently disturbed long curiously marked snakes that were warming 

 themselves in the sun. I got close to one, more than two yards long before 

 I saw it. They are extremely abundant in Barbary, and two or three 

 species are very venomous. Lizards of all colours and sizes were darting 

 about among the aloe leaves, but at our approach they soon disappeared. 



You will easily imagine what a delightful chorus the birds kept up 

 all day. The North of Barbary is like a great caravansary, whence many 

 of our summer visitors take their departure for our shores, and where they 

 arrive upon their return in autumn. The number of birds is very great, 

 and these thick groves of fruit trees afford them a retreat where they can 

 pour forth their delightful songs in undisturbed security. The first to 



