﻿58 
  Lieut. 
  H. 
  E. 
  Barnes 
  on 
  the 
  Birds 
  of 
  Aden. 
  

  

  fall 
  has 
  been 
  heavy 
  or 
  continuous^ 
  the 
  hill-sides 
  are 
  soon 
  

   covered 
  with 
  a 
  mantle 
  of 
  green, 
  consisting 
  principally 
  of 
  wild 
  

   portulaca. 
  

  

  To 
  one 
  who, 
  like 
  myself, 
  has 
  revisited 
  the 
  settlement 
  after 
  

   a 
  lapse 
  of 
  25 
  years 
  the 
  recent 
  change 
  in 
  the 
  climate 
  is 
  very 
  

   noticeable. 
  During 
  my 
  first 
  stay 
  in 
  Aden 
  (1866-7-8) 
  it 
  

   rained 
  but 
  once, 
  yet 
  this 
  was 
  sufficient 
  to 
  fill 
  the 
  tanks 
  ; 
  

   while 
  during 
  my 
  last 
  stay 
  (1890-1-2) 
  it 
  rained 
  frequently, 
  

   more 
  often 
  during 
  the 
  prevalence 
  of 
  the 
  south-west 
  monsoon. 
  

  

  Mammal-life 
  is 
  not 
  very 
  abundant 
  in 
  Aden 
  — 
  a 
  few 
  foxes, 
  

   dogs, 
  and 
  an 
  occasional 
  jackal 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  met 
  with, 
  and 
  I 
  

   believe 
  that 
  a 
  small 
  colony 
  of 
  monkeys 
  eke 
  out 
  a 
  scanty 
  

   existence 
  in 
  the 
  ravines 
  near 
  the 
  summit 
  of 
  Shum-shum. 
  

   Insect-life 
  is 
  abundant, 
  and 
  there 
  are 
  a 
  few 
  snakes, 
  some 
  of 
  

   which 
  are 
  venomous. 
  

  

  The 
  resident 
  species 
  of 
  birds 
  are 
  few 
  in 
  number 
  — 
  kites, 
  

   rock-chats, 
  doves, 
  and 
  pigeons 
  being 
  most 
  numerous. 
  

  

  Fishes 
  are 
  good 
  and 
  plentiful, 
  give 
  fair 
  sport, 
  and 
  afford 
  

   a 
  welcome 
  addition 
  to 
  the 
  scanty 
  fare 
  of 
  the 
  settlement. 
  

   Lobsters, 
  crabs, 
  and 
  oysters, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  other 
  shell-fish, 
  should 
  

   be 
  avoided 
  by 
  those 
  who 
  wish 
  to 
  keep 
  their 
  health. 
  

  

  At 
  the 
  last 
  census 
  the 
  population, 
  including 
  7000 
  at 
  Shaik 
  

   Othman, 
  was 
  upwards 
  of 
  38,000, 
  in 
  addition 
  to 
  the 
  floating 
  

   population 
  amounting 
  to 
  2000, 
  making 
  40,000 
  in 
  all. 
  

  

  The 
  majority 
  of 
  the 
  inhabitants 
  consist 
  of 
  Arabs 
  and 
  

   Somalis 
  in 
  about 
  equal 
  numbers. 
  They 
  have 
  mostly 
  been 
  

   born 
  in 
  the 
  settlement, 
  but 
  many 
  are 
  immigrants 
  from 
  

   Yemen 
  and 
  from 
  the 
  opposite 
  African 
  coast 
  ; 
  as 
  a 
  rule, 
  how- 
  

   ever, 
  the 
  latter 
  are 
  only 
  temporary 
  residents. 
  

  

  These 
  two 
  races 
  differ 
  considerably 
  in 
  appearance 
  : 
  the 
  

   Arabs 
  are 
  short, 
  sturdy, 
  and 
  muscular, 
  with 
  light 
  brown 
  

   complexions 
  ; 
  on 
  the 
  other 
  hand, 
  the 
  Somalis 
  are 
  tall, 
  

   thin, 
  and 
  Aveak, 
  and 
  black 
  in 
  colour. 
  In 
  religion 
  both 
  are 
  

   Mahomedans. 
  

  

  Other 
  races 
  in 
  Aden 
  are 
  Turks, 
  Persians, 
  Egyptians, 
  

   Seedees, 
  Hindoos, 
  a 
  few 
  Chinese, 
  and 
  Europeans 
  of 
  all 
  nations. 
  

   The 
  principal 
  shopkeepers 
  are 
  Parsees. 
  The 
  Jews, 
  who 
  hold 
  a 
  

   monopoly 
  of 
  the 
  feather-trade, 
  are 
  a 
  very 
  distinct 
  people 
  and 
  

  

  