84 Mr. J. J. S. "Wliitaker on some Tunisian Birds. 



keep the walls togetlier. The place is^ however^ picturesquely 

 situated on a plateau of rocks overlooking a charming 

 oasis, with an abundance o£ water. Unfortunately I had 

 not time to visit this oasis, as we left again at an early hour 

 the following morning for Negrine. After travelling for 

 two or three hours in a northerly direction through some 

 fine mountain scenery, we reached Mides, a small town 

 near the Algerio-Tunisian frontier, and then branching off 

 to the west again we encamped for the night near the Djebel 

 Refou, about halfway between Tamerza and Negrine. 



The weather here was most oppressively close and trying, 

 and the water, moreover, was not good. The following day I 

 tried this mountain for mouflon, but again without success, 

 although my stalker saw some mountain antelopes. My 

 climb to the top of Djebel Refou, however, was not without 

 its reward, for I obtained a glorious view of the desert, 

 stretching away to the south as far as one could see. On 

 this mountain I saw several of the larger Raptores, among 

 them, I believe, Gypaetus barbatus, but, being after bigger 

 game, I did not secure any specimens. Resuming our 

 journey the following day, we arrived at Negrine late in the 

 evening, after a long march across arid scrub-plains, where 

 I saw several herds of dorcas gazelles and numberless 

 jerboas and other small rodents, all of the exact colour of the 

 sandy soil. The lizards, too, were all of the same hue, and 

 Adonis aestivalis, var. lutea, with its yellow flower, replaced 

 the ordinary deep red flower of the north. About Kasrin 

 and Feriana I had observed this flower of an orange colour 

 between the two. On these sandy plains ray men found 

 some chameleons and one or two horned vipers (^Cerastes 

 cornutus). These snakes are very venomous, their bite, it is 

 said, being quickly followed by death. 



At Negrine we had excellent quarters in the quondam 

 military caserne, untenanted except by occasional travellers 

 like ourselves, since the French vacated the town after their 

 six years'* occupation. I visited the oasis here, hopmg to 

 find some rare birds, but was disappointed, and as the 

 neighbouring mountains were overrun with camels and flocks. 



