1920.] of the Maroccan"- Middle- Atlas.'" 273 



Juno. Solomon-seal, grape-hyacinth, and numerous other 

 hright Liliacea?, the hare-hell, and a few other shade-lovers 

 Ibrm the hulk of the forest's tioral adornments ; while, as 

 might he expected, the clearings have also a selection of 

 " cosmopolites " from the plains helow. 



In the upper Forest zone, the flanks of some of the gullies 

 are too steep and rocky to support more than, a minute 

 vegetation ; and the natives use these clearways largely for 

 going up and down the North Slope, hut the "paths'' can 

 only be so called by courtesy, and the pedestrian may far 

 better wander judiciously through the forest than keep to 

 such a via dolorosa of stones and boulders. 



Above Azrou are numerous springs issuing between 5000 

 and 5600 feet ; but then, Azrou is celebrated for its ^^tources'^; 

 for even in those vegetation-clad mountain slopes a perennial 

 water-supply is accorded all the customary reverence of 

 dwellers in a thirsty land. Bird-life is abundant, and at the 

 moment of first entering the Forest we feel almost trans- 

 ported to North Europe. Here are Chatfinches, Robins, 

 Wrens, Missel-thrushes and Blackbirds, Jays, Creepers, Tits, 

 Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Redstarts, and other northern 

 species in the greatest profusion ; the racial characters that 

 distinguish practically every one of these southern forms 

 are in many cases too subtle to detect in the field (some not 

 too easily at the "table" !). 



But a Roller screams ; overhead, a pair of Ravens are 

 mobbing a Black-kite; a barking and crashing in the 

 brushwood discloses the hasty retreat of a band of Barbary- 

 apes, the lights and shades are tropically intense; the sounds, 

 even the notes of some of our pseudo old friends are new, 

 and we are recalled to the South and reality. 



In some parts the " North Slope " gives way to the Plateau 

 quite abruptly, but for the most part there lies between the 

 two an attractive zone, varying from a hidf to one mile or so 

 of "Barrens" (see Plate VII.) and/or "Crest-mounds." The 

 " Barrens" are open stretches of stony, mixed volcanic and 

 limestone ground, thickly clothed with grass and herbage, 

 much studded with hawthorn bushes towards their northern 



SER. XI. — VOL. II. T 



