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(Js^) (Suez, Cairo, and Upper Egypt), it is known to 

 most dwellers on the Nile. Throughout the whole length 

 ofthe country its name is a household word, andthe fish, 

 if not an every day article of food, is one ofthe commonest 

 luxuries of the people. Two varieties are recognisable, 

 and they may be even separated specifically. One is ot 

 a greyish sombre colour, marked with dark transverse 

 bars, and the other is bronze yellow striped with deep 

 black ; other differences are apparent, but these serve 

 for most purposes. They differ too in habit, for, while 

 the former frequents the neighbourhood of reeds and 

 hollows out in the sand a basin shaped depression for its 

 nest, the latter seeks the open water where it clears a 

 space amongst the weeds, in which it burrows to a depth 

 of 50 cm. or more. The burrow seems to be formed by 

 the fish's tail, aided possibly by its spiny anal fin. Both 

 species are monogamous, and both sexes shai'e the work 

 of protecting the young. 



The "shabar " is sold fresh, as the fishing grounds are 

 only an hour or two distant from the market. They are 

 caught, either in circular casting nets, or by the hand of 

 the fishermen inserted into their burrows in the case of 

 the second species. The fiesh is white, but insipid. 

 Specimens from the lake are not so large as Nile speci- 

 mens, and these lose in comparison with the "bolty" of 

 Birket el Karun in the Fayoum. The average size, ot 

 examples from the three localities was 24, 32, and 45.5 

 c.m. respectively, while the largest recorded is one from 

 the Fayoum measuring 53 c.m. in length. So common 

 is it at the latter place^ that 1 6 large fish are often sold 

 fori P. T. 



