270 Dr. G. B. Longstaff on 



sible. However, Mr. Willis has been most kind in giving 

 me all the information at his disposal, and I have pleasure 

 in quoting at some length from his quite admirable letters 

 in reply to my numerous queries. 



" The season would be after the rains, when the country 

 is still green and water lying out in places." Among 

 Mr. Willis's kind acts was putting me in possession of the 

 official guide-book, entitled " Kordofan and the Region 

 to the West of the White Nile ; Compiled in the Intelli- 

 gence Department, Sudan Government, Khartum," Dec. 

 1912. 



From this book, which is not to be obtained through the 

 usual channels, I learned that : The end of the rainy season, 

 when the crops are ripened but still uncut, is in October 

 or November; in the south the first rain-storms may be 

 expected as early as the beginning of March (p. 14). This 

 confirms Mr. Willis' statement, but seasons, even in the 

 tropics, vary, and in considering statements as to " dry- 

 season " or " wet-season forms," it must not be forgotten 

 that "wet" individuals may, and often do, survive some 

 way into the dry season. 



Again, we have this statement : " The places mentioned 

 are probably about 400 ft. higher than the White Nile, 

 but there is very little to go on." Khartum is said to be 

 1200 ft. above the sea; Kaka is 404 miles higher up the 

 river than Khartum, and is in about the same latitude as 

 Talodi, the headquarters of the Nuba Mountains Province. 

 Now the guide-book (p. 69) states that Talodi is 2000 ft. 

 above sea-level ; from this we may deduce that the White 

 Nile falls 400 ft. between Kaka and Khartum. That is 

 all that I have been able to find out ; the two statements 

 seem fairly concordant. 



" Kadugli and Dilling are villages situated in the plain 

 in the vicinity of hills, with a ' khor ' or rain-fed stream, 

 only running as a rule for a few hours at a time, close by. 



" Sungikai is on a biggish khor, lying somewhat north 

 of the hills, running through what we call ' forest ' here, 

 which means a rolling country covered with trees about 

 the size of an apple-tree, grass, etc., which dries up in 

 winter, and turns green again as soon as the rainfall about 

 the end of May. 



" Tira Mandi and Tatcho are both hills — rough granite 

 blocks with practically no vegetation on them except 

 where the black Nubawi terraces the land, which he does 



