MAMMALS COLLECTED ON THE ORANGE RIVER. 485 



regions, as it is intersected for nearly its whole length between 

 Upington and the Falls by innumerable islands which are often 

 only divided by narrow channels, most of which cease running or 

 become entirely dry when the river is low ; while again the tree 

 belt is broken in several places for short distances by rocky hill 

 ranges that run astride of the river. 



" The first three camps (altitude 2, GOO ft. approximately) were 

 made at Lonisvalo, a now but very progressive irrigation settle- 

 ment on the south bank of the river, at points between ten 

 and fifteen miles west from Upington ; but as Louisvale is not 

 marked on small-scale maps, all specimens obtained in that 

 district were labelled : ' Near Upington — south bank of Orange 

 River.' 



" These camps, although within a few miles of each other, 

 enabled me to make collections among kopjes and rocky areas ; 

 salt-bush and typical open country ; the river tree belt ; and near 

 cultivation. 



" The fourth camp (altitude 2,000 ft. approximately) was 

 made on the north bank of the river, close to the little known 

 Orange River (Augrabies) Falls, about ninety miles west of 

 Upington. 



" The river here splits up into several streams, the main and 

 two subsidiary Falls descending into a narrow gorge, said to be 

 about 500 feet in depth. Two otliers — one almost equal in volume 

 to the main fall — enter several miles lower down. 



" Except for a few squatters, who are chiefly engaged in 

 looking after herds of donkeys and goats, there is no population 

 in the neighbourhood. 



"A fifth camp (altitude 1,500 ft. approximately) was made 

 also on the north bank, about twelve miles below the Falls, a few 

 miles above where the dry Molopo joins the Orange River, which 

 has widened out again into large pools that resemble a string 

 of lakes, shut in by high rocky hills and thinly fringed \vith 

 trees. 



'' Except for a few wandering Hottentots the country here is 

 entirely uninhabited. 



** It may be noted that neither Chryaochloris nor Cryptomys 

 were met with, I found no signs of molehills and was assured 

 by residents that they did not exist in the region. 



" Hedgehogs, if not absent, must be extiemely rare, as they 

 appear to be practically unknown along this section of the river. 

 Shrews may occur, but there is little doubt that they are generally 

 scarce throughout the dry South-Western area. 



"Antbears, judging by the comparative scarcity of their burrows, 

 are not plentiful. 



*• At Upington I saw part of an old dry skin of a Pangolin that 

 had been obtained in that district. 



" A few residents spoke vaguely of Wild Pig from some of the 

 islands, but their present occurrence is exceedingly doubtful. 



" Among the larger game reported to occur within from 50-100 



32* 



