AFRICAN PARROTS. 353 



characteristic of the south ; in all depressions it is covered by 

 a thick layer of black detritus. The corn-fields are inhabited 

 by numerous parrots, which are seen in companies of from two 

 to six, and are not at all wild. 



In the whole of our province I only know of three species 

 of parrot — the Palceornis torquata, which is widely distri- 

 buted, and called by the Arabs durrah, or more commonly sitte 

 dudic ; the Pionias Meyerii, which is also common ; and, farther 

 south, the elegant Agapomis pullaria, which plays great havoc 

 with the corn-fields. In the extreme south the well-known 

 grey parrot, Psittacus erythacus, is also met with. 



All of a sudden, a very conspicuous mountain mass, situated 

 in the middle of the steppe-wood, came into sight. Its centre 

 rose higher than Jebel Nyerkani, near Lado ; at each end it 

 had long spurs ; the Negroes called it Jebel Tobe. After 

 passing Khor Deluru, we left the beaten path and struck 

 through the wood, until we at last found a good road, which 

 led us straight to the banks of Khor Yalo, here a beautiful 

 stream, which shoots with a roar over the rocks filling its bed, 

 and is fringed by forests. It was a hundred and sixty- five feet 

 broad and thirty inches deep. Many small streams flowed 

 across our road into the river ; one of them, Khor Lau, was 

 edged by incipient " gallery " woods. Khor Ofo is noteworthy 

 on account of the flats on its northern bank. Rather broad 

 white belts of gneiss were noticed in the red soil as far as 

 Chief Ritku's village, Mbaro, which lay at about ten minutes' 

 distance from our path. Many hyaenas howled in the grass, 

 but were cautious enough to keep out of our way. For a few 

 moments a somewhat lofty range of mountains came into sight ; 

 my guide called it Dokolo, but I cannot find it marked upon 

 any map. From the village of Kyero, where we halted, we 

 obtained a good view of the mountain ; it is not seen, however, 

 from the station of Sayaclin, which has been newly built in 

 the middle of a wood. This village is a small place, situated 

 on the bank of Yalo, and is a centre where game of every kind, 

 especially elephants, is found, and a large quantity of ivory can 

 be obtained. 



