472 Mr. D. (Jarruthers on the Arabian Osinch. [Ibis, 



quite possible that the Ostrich still exists as far north as this ; 

 for although in old daj-^s it ranged right up to the Euphrates, 

 it has not b3en seen in the true Syrian desert for over a 

 century. On the other hand the locality is somewhat unlikely. 

 It is of high altitude — over the 3000-f t. contour line, — a liard 

 arid steppe, with a large area of volcanic (Harra) tract and 

 practically without sand. But the fact that the region is 

 uninhabited — even for a desert, — being seldom visited by 

 nomad graziers, may outbalance this, and allow the district 

 to be a safe refuge for such desired game ; in Bedouin life an 

 Ostrich hunt is looked upon as quite as lucrative a venture 

 as a successful raid. If " half-way between Baghdad and 

 Jerusalem ^' was the Sulubbi's description of where he found 

 the eggs, it may not have been in the southern Hammad at all, 

 but on the edge of the Nafud sand-bed, which is well known 

 as being the stronghold of the Ostrich in northern Arabia. 

 The north-eastern edge of the Nafud is actually 330 miles 

 from Baghdad, while the oasis of Jauf, which marks the 

 locality, is generally considered the half-way house between 

 Irak and Syria or Palestine. Nearly all Arabian travellers 

 in that region have mentioned the Ostrich, the last being the 

 late Oapt. Shakespear, C.I.E., who had an Ostrich chick 

 brought to him on 24 April, 1914, at his camp on the 

 northern edge of the Nafud, two marches east of Jauf. 

 Probably the very best locality for Ostriches (in northern 

 Arabia) is the north-western Nafud, between Jauf and the 

 Hejaz railway, including the Basaita plain and the Tubaik 

 hills. This region is very little visited by Bedouins, It is 

 practically waterless, and except for the "■ Samh " plant, is 

 without much pasture. The Basaita plain has a reputation 

 for exceeding flatness (in a country where there is not much 

 relief). There is absolutely no cover. Southwards the 

 Nafud grants ample pasture and a permanent and safe retreat, 

 being an area of over 35,000 square miles of sand-dunes. 



Northwards the Ostrich ranges into the black-stone plain — 

 the Ardh-es-Suwan, where I saw three in the Wadi Hedrij 

 on 9 February, 1909. This locality is probably their most 

 northern limit towards Palestine at the present day, although 



