(17) 



We fouml a fairly comfortable, bat stuffy, airless " Bordj," which we occupied. 

 The keeper brought food for the camels, eggs, and dates. The village is half 

 buried in sand, though on the crests of the dunes hedges of palm-leaves are erected, 

 in order to stop the inroad of the sand. The palm-gardens are fairly extensive, and 

 onions and gourds are grown in great numbers, also wheat, barley, cabbage, 

 turnips, red pepi)er, and cotton, in small ijuantities. 



F/i)/l/oscopi, Muscimpa, hypoleuca {atrkapiUa auct.), Oenanthe oenanthe, 

 Ilirundo urbica and rustica were common on passage ; a single female Tiiuiunculus 

 was seen, and a White Stork which was very dirty and evidently ill. Only one 

 bird was breeding freely : the grey-headed Sparrow. The nests were numerous in 

 ])alm-trees. Of insects a common Cicinrlela was caught, some Lycaena, and a 

 .single Danais. 



The inhabitants were kind, though some of them rather shy. A number of 

 boys accompanied us, when we went out to collect, among them one of great 

 beanty and noble figure ; he was of a lighter colour than most of the others, who 

 were mostly as black as negroes, and partly real Sudanese blacks. 



On April 16 we rode to In-Salah, where we were welcomed with the greatest 

 cordiality and kindness by the Commandant, Captain Payn, and his officers. Two 

 large rooms were given ns in the fort, and we were happy to find letters from 

 Europe and from Alger, from our wives, friends, and relations. 



The little fortress, " Fort Bugeaud," is picturesquely built of baked clay with 

 roofs and rafters of palm-stems, and some distance from the villages. Only the 

 French officers and " sons-officiers," and the native Saharians are stationed within 

 the fort, and a sentry watches day and night from the watch-tower. The mess- 

 rooms (the " popotte ") with a library are situated outside, and in them we found 

 a photo of Captain Haywood, who passed through In-Salah two years ago, on his 

 journey from Timbuktu to Biskra. 



Most of the Arabs in In-Salah belong to the tribe of the OuIad-bn-Hamn 

 (Ouled-bu-Homo of Rohlfs) ; many are Mrabtin (Marabutin of Rohlfs), and a great 

 number Hartani (descendants of slaves), and Negroes. A few Chaamba live also in 

 the villages (PI. X.). The houses are built as in Igosten, and the natives have a 

 very wholesome respect of the Europeans ; sometimes even fear, and we found them 

 always decent and willing to do little things for us, such as bringing in specimens, 

 climbing trees, carrying cartridges, birds, etc. 



The gardens (PI. XI. i have no walls, but are separated by hedges of palm-leaves. 

 Under the palms were grown many onions, very few figs and pomegranates, which 

 are said to be small and often to dry up before they ripen, on account of the heat ; 

 in the summer some Sorg/iam (millet), and in tlie winter wheat or barley are 

 grown. Onions and red pepper are cultivated.* 



Here, as in Igosten, the Grey-headed Sparrow was numerous, nesting in the 

 palms, and here and there on houses. Possibly IJippolaiii rciscri may breed here ; 

 the males were singing freely, but their testicles were not yet much developed. 

 A female Kestrel and a Stork were observed, but both were a,pparently remnants 

 from the migration period. Of migrants many Phylloscopm troclnlus, collybila and 

 bonelli were seen, but they became strikingly rarer on the 19th, Tiirtur turlur 

 arenicola, Jynx torijuilla, Ilirundo wbi<yi and ruaticn, Merops apiaater, Lanius 

 senator, Motacilla Jiam ciiiereocapiUa, (.krumthe oenanthe oenanthe, Saxicola, 



* Henna {Lawimmia iiieniih) i.s ftpparently only grown in Soutli Tonat, in the district of the 

 Oued-el-Hennit (MartiuV Oaaii Hahar, p. 308). 



2 



