MEDITERRANEAN NOTES 161 



had heard of francolins as an extinct bird by the name of 

 Tretari; he says no herons except the purple (Ardea 

 purpurea] and night heron (Nycticorax griseus] nest about 

 the Pantani. 



" Yacht went round to Agosta. We, after shooting, took 

 mules and rode to Lentini, about eight miles through a 

 pretty country. After great wrangling with our muleteers 

 we got a carriage to Agosta, and, starting about 8 p.m., 

 drove through what must be beautiful country by Carlen- 

 tini and Villosmundo to Agosta, where we arrived about 

 11.30 p.m., nineteen miles from Lentini. Found the yacht 

 and went on board. Beautiful, bright, hot weather and 

 splendid moonlight nights. The country abounds in wild 

 flowers, a small crimson stonecrop in some places being 

 very conspicuous." 



SYRACUSE 



" April i st. We sailed from Agosta with a head 

 breeze, which freshened up, and beat into the harbour of 

 Syracuse. Agosta seems a dilapidated, wretched town, but 

 the bay is splendid. Syracuse is, as all the world knows, 

 a fine harbour, but not nearly so extensive, or I should 

 say so well sheltered, as that of Agosta. A guide, one 

 Valerio, came off to us soon after we arrived, and I 

 commissioned him to employ every one that he could lay 

 hands upon to bring in birds, bats, lizards, snakes, etc." 



" April ^.th. The villani sent out to collect began to 

 come in, and brought a various assortment of snakes, 



1 1 



