648 Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker on 
ill existing charts, compiled probably on second-hand and 
untrustworthy information. On nearing the coast some 
trouble was experienced^with the Oulid-Sliman Arabs, who 
are very fanatical, and the whole caravan was under arms 
while crossing their territory. Fortunately, however, al- 
thouo'h several times on the vergie of hostilities, actual 
fighting was avoided, and the party succeeded in effecting its 
journey across the dangerous country in perfect safety, 
finally reaching Benghazi early in August. 
In the foregoing rough sketch of . Mr. Dodson''s journey, 
I have alluded merely en passant to some of the more 
remarkable incidents which occurred during it, this not 
being either the time or place to dwell at length thereon. 
Apart, however, from being an extremely arduous under- 
taking, and for desert-travel perhaps a " record," some 
fifteen hundred miles having been traversed within the com- 
paratively short space of four months or so, the journey 
seems also to have been replete with interesting experiences, 
an account of which would probably furnish material 
sufficient to fill a fair-sized volume. 
I append a list of the few species and subspecies of birds, 
of which specimens were actually obtained during the 
journey, the total amounting to sixty-two in number. 
Of these, as might be expected, a large proportion are 
desert forms, Larks and Chats preponderating, as usual in 
collections from Saharan regions. Birds of prey, contrary to 
what might have been expected, are conspicuous by their 
absence, as are also members of the Corvine family. Waders, 
and water-birds generally, are almost entirely unrepresented 
in the collection. Owing to an unfortunate lack of field- 
notes, I am able to say but little regarding the species 
met with, and, in the majority of cases, can merely record 
the simple data of sex, locality, and date from the labels. 
Although in many ways highly interestmg, especially from 
a geographical and cartographical point of view, the result 
of the expedition, ornithologically considered, is somewhat 
disappointing, or perha^^s I should say unexpscted, taking 
