380 



SAVAGE SUDAN 



breeding-season. There were also the smart little rock- 

 partridges (Ammoperdix ckolmleyi), which we had already 

 shot near Sinkat, and also in those terribly barren shale- 

 mountains, the Gamilab hills, that shut in Erkowit on 

 the south. Lynes penetrated afar into this Gehenna of 

 Gamilab, and reported deadly nightshade as its typical 

 plant! But he added therein several new species to 



BROAD- WINGED RAVENS (Corvus affihis) AT ERKOWIT. 



our collections, inter alia, the brown rock-pipit, Anthus 

 sordidus (what a libellous name ! ), Emberiza cinerea, 

 E. septemstriata, and others of which the note is mislaid. 



Around our camp soared, croaked, and chuckled 

 Broad-winged ravens (Corvus affinis] eerie, wraith-like 

 creatures with long necks and an immense crinoline-like 

 expansion of the secondaries, so exaggerated as almost 

 to coalesce with the short and rounded tail as shown 

 (I think fairly accurately) in the sketches annexed. 

 Many of their notes were harsh and corvine enough ; 

 but others sounded soft and confidential almost musical, 

 like the soliloquies of our ravens at home. 



