FAUNA AND FLORA OF SINAI, PETRA, AND WADY 'ARABAH. 13 



a large extent of country. The increased quantity of acacias since we left 

 the limestone, and especially on the granite, is noteworthy. Perhaps its 

 ferocious spines require an admixture of silicon. 



A locust and a cricket were taken in semi-torpid condition. Scorpions 

 similarly harmless were caught from time to time. 



A larger species of lizard, with a handsome blue throat and pectoral, 

 was captured, Agama sinaitica, Heyden. The bright colour was all 

 below, and was no reproach upon the perfect assimilation of its upper 

 parts with the desert sandy hues. This lizard hid himself amongst 

 stones, and it was with difficulty I dislodged him from a hole which he 

 filled with his body and fortified with his distended and savage little 

 jaws. 



Having crossed a high ridge of granite, Ris Sfiwig, at about 2,400 

 feet above sea-level, from whence Jebel Serbil looked magnificent, we 

 descended into a widy which yielded several new plants. Pancratium 

 Sickembergeri, A. et C, was found in flower here also. A small bulb, 

 apparently an Allium, was brought to me by some Bedawin. It flowered 

 under Mr. Burbidge's care at the College Botanic Gardens, and proved 

 to be A. sinaiticum, Dene. These two bulbs and a Uropetalum 

 {U. erythr(^um, Debb.) are, I believe, the only ones which support life 

 in this desert. A few others occur, but at sufficient heights, usually 

 very considerable, to bring them into a different zone of plant life. 



At the height of 2,200 to 2,400 feet above sea-level the following 

 species appeared : Iphiona juniperifolia, Coss. ; Sonchus spinosus, Del. ; 

 and a very fetid species, Ruta tuberculata, Forsk., was here first obtained 

 with its yellow flowers. 



Major Kitchener brought me branches here of the first Capparis I had 

 seen, C. galeata, Fresen. 



Lichens of two species at least occurred, one on the bark of acacia, 

 and the other on sandstone. 



In Widy Khamileh desert partridges, Caccabis Heyi, Temn., were 

 frequent, and some were shot. Two desert plants occurred in some 

 quantity, Lotononis Leobordea, Linn., and Pulicaria undulata, D.C. 



