FAUNA AND FLORA OF SINAI, PETRA, AND WADY 'ARABAH. 21 



while Jebel Mtasa would be nearer that of London. It is a solid hump of 

 syenite with a lower shoulder joining it to a similar prominence about 

 half a mile away. The view was magnificent, including the whole coast- 

 line of Sinai from Suez to 'Akabah, except the portion intercepted by the 

 Umm Shomer range to the south, whose summit almost equals that of 

 Jebel Katharina. Jebel Mllsa looks a mere trifle, one of a fierce sea 

 of red pointed and serrated peaks and ridges. 



The summit was reached at 3.15, left at 4, and the convent of Deir el 

 'Arbain regained at 5. A long camel ride through a wild gorge by moon- 

 light brought a memorable day to a close. 



In the gorge I heard a deep clear strange note, which my Bedawln 

 called 'hoadoo.' It seemed to proceed from an owl, and may have been 

 Bubo ascalephus, the Egyptian eagle owl ; but, much as my curiosity was 

 aroused, there was no means of gratifying it. 



With the exception of a couple of chats {Saxicola leucopygia, Br., and 

 S. lugens, Lichi), and the Egyptian vulture, no birds were seen. A single 

 coney {Hyrax syriacus, H. et Ehr.) showed himself for a few seconds on 

 the summit of Jebel Mfisa. 



CHAPTER IV. 



MOUNT SINAI TO 'AKABAH. 



Our journeyings from Mount Sinai lay east of north to 'Akabah, skirting 

 and occasionally crossing corners of the Tih plateau. 



Hares were occasionally seen of the little long-eared Sinaitic kind, and 

 gazelle tracks were very numerous in Wady Zelegah (Zolakah). The 

 lizards already mentioned are plentiful in this w^dy, and several geckos 

 were captured, which proved to be of two species. A snake, Zamenis 

 ventrimaculatus, was safely lodged in my spirit cylinder. 



Widy Zelegah is a noble valley plain, about half a mile wide for 

 upwards of twenty miles, bounded by precipitous cliffs and mountains. 

 Several detours were made into the Tth cliffs on the left of our line of 

 march. The chief plants were — Glaucium arabiai,m, Fres. ; Capparis 



