2720 The Zoologist — August, 1871. 



T kept a sharp look-out for ostriches, but had never the good 

 fortune to see one. From what the Arabs said, I gather that raanj 

 an ancient haunt of this noble species knows it no longer. Its im- 

 pending extinction typifies the decay of the nomad: step by step 

 the hunters will drive it backwards. In process of time its existence 

 will be a matter of tradition — its appearance, its very name, will be 

 forgotten. Like every other brevipennate bird, it must one day 

 succumb to the march of civilization. 



At length the v\ished-for landmark of the Mozabite town of 

 Berryan hove in sight. A carpet was quickly spread for us in an 

 unoccupied house, and the chief, with about thirty other Arabs, 

 squatted in a circle. While Mohammed detailed our adventures, 

 I produced the credentials which had been furnished by the Com- 

 manflant-superieur at Laghouat, and which were afterwards of the 

 greatest possible service to us. It was a two-storied court where 

 we were located, but all the Arab houses are built on the same plan, 

 viz. open on the inner side, \yith a ladder or staircase leading to the 

 roof, which is flat and strong enough to walk upon : they are all 

 full of draughty crevices. In the rafters of the establishment I ob- 

 served a pair of house buntings {Fringillaria Sahara): the Arab 

 masons leave plenty of eligible chinks for them to nest in. 



I must attempt some description of Berryan. The town is sur- 

 rounded by a mud-brick wall, with a good many small towers, some 

 of which I ascended. The fencework upon tliis wall serves as a 

 favourite perch for the pallid shrike {Lainun dealbalus), which with 

 difficulty keeps its balance, its tail swaying with every gust of wind. 

 The tallest building in the town is the mosque ; its tower is in the 

 shape of an obelisk, and about fifty feet high. But what interested 

 me most was the wells : every garden has one, and they are ex- 

 tremely deep. To draw water the method is as follows : — A long 

 cord passed over the wheel of the well (which is ten feet above the 

 ground) is fastened to two mules or a camel, which, walking down 

 an inclined pathway, Ijaul the wateiskin, which is attached to the 

 other end of the rope, to the top of the well, where it instantly dis- 

 charges all its contents into a stone tank, and is then let down again. 

 Little trenches convey the water all about the garden ; as the sand 

 would soon soak it up these trenches are of plaster. The water is 

 limpid and tasteless. All day long the Mzab haul it up: they are 

 all teetotalers and never touch wine, which enables them to work 

 hard continually. " The Mzab work always," has become a saying. 



