462 
I go often upon the Bosphorus, while dolphins 
play around me. Gulls here are so tame that they sit 
upon the roofs of houses like pigeons. The Pro- 
cellaria Puffinus is constantly flying up and down 
the canal: they call them here by the emphatical 
name of “souls of the damned.” While I was read- 
ing in the palace garden the other day, a vulture, 
Percnopterus, perched in the tree hanging over my 
head ; and I could not resist, not having the fear of 
the Egyptians before my eyes, to shoot it. 
The summer has been very dry and hot. Fahren- 
heit’s thermometer varied in my chamber last week 
from 84 to 86 degrees. There are few insects at 
present, except scorpions, mosquitoes, bugs, and 
Conops calcitrans, the happy accompaniments of this 
happy climate. The chase of the entomologist was 
almost over about a month since. [had fine sport. 
I write to you in good health and spirits; for 
yesterday my friend arrived, and today my baggage, 
having run “ per varios casus, et tot discrimina re- 
rum.” Tell Shaw, that Hawkins is in “ high preser- 
vation,” that he differs only in appearance from hay- 
ing the /abia barbata—huge mustaches, which he 
is nursing for a Syrian and Egyptian tour. We are 
going together into Thessaly, Attica and the Pelo- 
ponnesus, and shall winter at Zante. My health is 
much better. Remember me kindly to Sir J. Banks, 
Dryander, Lambert, &c 
Yours sincerely, 
J. SIBTHORP. 
Borone is in good health, in action quite a Le 
Fleur. 
