Birds. 9091 
down, many a dromedary can boast a genealogy far longer than the descendants of the 
Darley Arabian. The training of these white dromedaries, as the French term them, 
is among the “noble mysteries” of the desert; and certainly the mahari, so far as my own 
observation gues, is rendered obedient to the word of command, and lies down, turns, 
rises, quickens or slackens its pace, as no other camel is taught, at the voice of its 
rider. It is also guided by a bridle,—a single thong of leather attached to a ring 
inserted in its nostril when very young, aud by which its rider directs it, dexterously 
flinging the rein over its head, and drawing it to either side at pleasure, a mode of 
guidance never adopted with the ordinary camel. But the most singular part of the 
dromedary’s equipment is the saddle, placed, not on the hump or back, but on the 
neck and shoulders. It is prevented from slipping from its position by two girths; 
one just behind the fore legs, the other round the neck. The saddle itself is in shape 
like a chair,a wooden frame with a high back, covered with leather, and a curious 
high peak in front, narrow at the base, round which the rider crosses bis legs, with a 
wide and flat top, on which he can lean his body and round which his pouches are 
slung. To an inexperienced rider, no motion can be more trying than that of the 
dromedary saddle. The only relief to be obtained from the uneven movement of the 
creature's shoulders, as it trots, is by resting the body against the peak; and, unless it 
be lifted at each step, a violent blow on the chest or stomach is the inevitable conse- 
quence. The ordinary pace of the mabari is a swinging trot; and this it will keep up 
from sunset to sunrise, without intermission, accomplishing with ease eighty miles in 
a day. Fabulous tales are recounted of dromedaries which have run 250 miles 
without a halt, and repeated the same distance the following day; but the endurance 
of even a Touareg could scarcely have sat out such a stage. To protect themselves 
from the exhaustion of the motion, the Touareg, before mounting, tie a very thick and 
tight bandage of leather round the stomach and loins. The mahari is fed principally 
upon dates instead of barley, which can rarely be procured in the desert, and, with a 
small supply of this fruit, added to the dry coarse herbs of the country, will undergo 
the severest fatigues.—‘ The Great Sahara, by H. B. Tristram, p. 537. 
Ornithological Notes from Shetland. By Henry L. Saxsy, M.D. 
Fieldfares and Redwings——Not satisfied with having, as usual, 
“come in like a lion,” March is going out like a bear. Yet, notwith- 
standing the prevalence of frost, snow and heavy winds, during the 
last few weeks, some of our regular spring visitors have already arrived. 
On the 2nd a steady breeze from S.W. brought a large Hock of field- 
fares; they remained until the 11th, when they left with nearly a gale 
from W.S.W. These birds, like the redwings, are not by any means 
common with us, and both species seem partial to travelling by 
night. 
Oystercatchers.—On the 18th of March, came the oystercatchers, 
as usual punctual almost to a day. Oddly enough this species is 
only a summer visitor to Shetland, although it remains in Orkney 
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