Rough Notes from the Mediterranean. 309


numerous, the asphodel and the crimson anemone (the Idly of

the Field) making a brave show.


March 6tli was spent at sea passing down the Archipelago,

Patmos being clearly visible among the numerous islands. On

the next day Cyprus was the only land seen some 25 miles

distant.


The following morning we arrived at Beyrout, which pre¬

sented a very pretty appearance with its red-roofed houses and

tall palm trees, with the snow-covered Mountains of Lebanon

towering in the background all bathed in bright sunshine.

From here the wonderful engineering feat of a railway over the

Lebanon range to Damascus has been accomplished now some

nine or ten years; as you go up and up you get most magnificent

views, now of some towering crag, now a beautiful peep at the

sea with Beyrout far below opens out, then Mount Hermon is

seen standing out sharply defined in the clear air, as one rises to

'6,700 feet above sea-level before reaching El Muallalcali, the

station for Baalbec, it can well be imagined that it gets very

cold and one finds oneself surrounded by ice and snow. It was

at about this height that I noticed many Eagles perched on the

rocks or flying about. Eagles are very numerous in the Lebanon

Mountains, six species at least may be commonly met with.

Probably most of those which I saw were Golden Eagles (. Aquila

chrysaetus ) though some of them may have been immature

Imperials ( A . heliaca), as Canon Tristram so long ago as 1865

remarked on the extraordinary abundance of this species in this

region ; anyway I did not notice the white scapulars which are

-so conspicuous an ornament in the adult bird.


A drive along the beautiful valley of the Lebanon with the

-snow-clad heights of Lebanon on the left brings one to the

famous ruins of Baalbec. I saw some Hawks perched on the

lofty summit of one of the six remaining columns of the Temple

of the Sun, also some Swallows or Swifts, I am not sure which

—this will show the difference in the temperature here to that

on the pass just left.


March 14th, landed at Jaffa. I noticed many Swallows,

which were presumably referable to the dark form of Hirundo

rustica which is resident throughout the year in Palestine.



