aliaiidoned the sand and came uiiou a stdiiy plateau, only here and there with 

 a thin layer of sand, and flat-topi)ed rocks of a white and red colour ; Passer 

 simplex saharae was not rare in the sandy stretches. 



Towards midday Hassi Iniqnel was reached, near the rocks called Safet- 

 Ininnel. It was interesting to see the camels drink after a week without water. 

 Although they greatly enjoyed the drink, and drank a good (jnantity, they got 

 hardly excited, and kept up their slow, measured, dignified walk-, and only a few 

 tried to push off and bite others in order to get (|uicker tu the water; the 

 quantity consumed by each camel was not greater than that drunk by a thirsty 

 horse. On March '-ti we crossed some very tine high sand-dunes, and then a stony 

 plain, until at last we came to the edge of the plateau, and saw before ns El- 

 Golea, with its old fortress, isolated '• gour," palm groves, gardens, villages, and 

 military buildings, in a belt of sebcha, extending from north to south, between 

 the i)lateau on which we were in the east, and the immense sand-dunes of the 

 Great Western Erg in the west. (PI. I.j 



In El-Golea we were most heartily welcomed by the French officers, who 

 invited us to be their guests daring onr stay tliere. The commandant, Lii'utenant 

 Maire-Sebille, gave us comfortable rooms in his house. El-Golea luid formerly 

 a large garrison, with a general in command, but now, since the stations are 

 ])ushed southwards to Adrar, In-Salah, and the Hoggar mountains, it has lost 

 much of its importance as a military centre, and there are now only a small 

 number of men with two to three officers, in addition to the commandant or 

 chief of the " Bureau Arabe," whose duties are entirely administrative. This 

 military administration of the French Sahara is well adapted to the native 

 character, and is generally carried out admirably well by specially instructed 

 officers. 



El-Golea is a charming place, a real little paradise in the middle of a vast and 

 wide desert. The gardens of the officers are very large, being made for a great 

 number who formerly were garrisoned here, and under the palm-trees, euca- 

 lyptus, apricots and peaches grow roses, violets, and many kinds of vegetables, 

 there being a number of artesian wells emitting an enormous supply of water 

 of a warm temperature, pure as crystal and good and healthy to drink. But 

 what is the most surprising thing is a real lake of fresh water, formed by a 

 very prolific artesian well, and with enorm(Uisly high and thickly grown reeds 

 {Artindo donax), snrrounded by trees and bushes. Needless to say this lake is 

 a winter resort of many kinds of ducks and water-fowl, as well as numerous 

 small birds ; but for the water-birds we were a bit too late. Bird-migration, 

 however, began in grand style during our stay at El-Golea, from March 24 

 to 30. Scops-Owls {<Jtas scops xcops) were very numerous in the gardens, 

 calling frequently at night. Motacillu _f{ma flava was common, a few M. /. 

 citiereocapilhi were seen, Oenantlw orimnthe oeiianthe was quite the commonest 

 bird, and hundreds were caught by the boys for food. Plwenicarus phoenkanm 

 was numerous, likewise both species of Phi/lloscopiis, Lanias senator, Oeiianthe 

 {Saxicola) luspanlca, Anthiis campestris, a few Aiithns pruteiisis, Chelidon rustica, 

 llirundo urbica iirbica, Kiparia riparia, Ji/nx torquiUa lorquilUi, Calandrelln 

 lirarhiplactijla, Si/lrin cnrnica, Musdcapa atricapilla (or rather li.i/poleaca), 

 I' pupa epopH not rare. On the lake Circus ru/iis, Ardea raJUndes, Triiiga 

 {Totanus) stuijiiatilis, orrophus, ylarrola, hi/poleuca, GalUnaijo (pillina(/o and 

 (pilliivihi , Ihis J'alcini'lhis and Fidini atra were oliscrved, and mostly olitained. 



