x liv IOTBODTJCTION. 



Haifa for one and to Dongola for another, whilst a third was procured after I had been 

 at Kosheh about ten days. The Nile here, as elsewhere between Wady Haifa and 

 Abu Hamed, a distance of about 600 miles, is full of rocks and rapids, and we had to 

 confine operations to the use of the casting-net only. The best results were obtained 

 in the pools left by the receding Nile, especially in the vicinity of the cataracts, in 

 one of which a new fish was obtained, unfortunately represented only by a single 

 example, which proved to be the type of a new genus, named Andersonia, after the 

 late Dr. John Anderson, who took so much interest in promoting the Nile Fish 

 Survey. 



After a month at Kosheh I moved to the large island of Arko, about 20 miles north 

 of Dongola. From Kosheh to Kermeh, the railway-terminus, is about 100 miles, 

 and from thence to Arko I had to go by boat, Arko is the largest island in the Nile, 

 at any rate between Wady Haifa and Omdurman, being 16 miles long and having an 

 average width of 3 miles, whilst it is one of the most fertile spots in this district. 

 From here I visited Hannek, on the Third Cataract. After spending three weeks at 

 Arko I was glad to move on, as the heat (often 115° Fahr. in the shade), combined 

 with the frequent dust- and sand-storms, was very unpleasant. Accordingly I rode to 

 Dongola, where I waited two days for the post-boat, my destination being Korti. 

 However, on account of the low state of the Nile I could get no further than Debbeh, 

 so I had to ride the remaining 45 miles, my baggage being taken on camels. 



Korti is a straggling place near the river, where I found quarters in the now- 

 deserted infantry-barracks, which are extensive, the ruins forming hiding-places for 

 a number of foxes. 



Korti, like Arko and Kosheh, yielded little of interest. Fish were scarce and fisher- 

 men scarcer, Dongola being the only place in this district with halagers and Multazzims. 

 Fortunately I had an excellent fisherman with me. From Korti to Abu Hamed, 

 186 miles, I went on camels, this taking 9 days, as baggage-animals only accomplish 

 about 2f miles an hour. I reached Abu Hamed on June 6 and then went to Cairo for 

 a short holiday. In August I returned to Assuan, and the Nile being in full flood 

 fishing was restricted to the use of the casting-net, by which numerous specimens were 

 obtained. Vast numbers of a small species (Alestes nurse), called "Sardeena" by the 

 Arabs, appeared, especially at a place o miles north of the cataract. These are 

 roughly preserved with salt and packed in small casks, and are eaten by the natives 

 with great relish. 



At the beginning of September the Nile had fallen low enough for the use of drag- 

 nets. On October 4th I left Assuan for Luxor, collecting on the way at Deran and 

 Edfu. At Luxor I obtained many rare and interesting fish. Hydrocyon brevis was 

 abundant, this being the first time I had seen examples of this species, although a few 

 had been obtained some distance further north by a previous collector, I was at Luxor 

 during the emptying of one of the large irrigation-basins, and to this I attribute my 



