FAUNA AND FLORA OF SINAI,. PETRA, AND WADY 'ARABAH. 29 



The birds obtained at 'Akabah were : Cercomela melanura, Temn.; 

 Cyanecula ccsyulescens, Pall.; Argya squamiceps, Rupp.; Motacilla alba, 

 Linn.; M. fiava, Linn.; Pycnonotus xanthopygus. Hemp, et Ehr.; Lanius 

 fallax, Finsch.; Passer hispaniolensis, Temn.; yEgialitis asiatica, PalL; 

 Tringoides hypoleucos,Linn., and several larks and chats already mentioned. 

 Ravens, crows, martins, rock-pigeons and the little gull, Larus minuius, 

 L., were also observed. Vultures and English swallows were frequently 

 to be seen, the former usually of the Egyptian species. 



Not many identifiable plants occurred here which had not been pre- 

 viously seen. These are : Cassia acutifolia, D.C.; C. obovata, Coll.; 

 Onobrychis Ptolemaica, Del.; Tephrosia apollmea, Del.; Artemisia m-ono- 

 sperma, Del.; Statice pruinosa, Linn.; Salvia deserti, Dene.; Boerhavia 

 plum-baginea, Cav.; Calligonum, comosum. L'Her.; A triplex crystallina, 

 Ehr., and Andropogon foveolatus, Del. A few other less common species 

 may also be mentioned : Lotononis Leobordea, Linn.; Tephrosia purpurea, 

 Fers.; Sonchiis spinosus, D.C.; Cucii,m,is prophetarum, Linn.; Linaria 

 macilenta, Dene.; Triciiodesma africanum, R. Br.; Hetiotropium arbaiu- 

 ense, Fres. Forskahlea, Andrachne, Panicum, and others. Along the 

 shore in some places is a close growth of Nitrara trideutata, Atriplex 

 leucoclada, Boiss.; A. halimus, Linn.; Juncus maritimus, Linn.; var. 

 arabica, and others. Cressa cretica is a characteristic species along the 

 shore on the saline flats. 



Gathering shells where such an abundance of, to me, novel forms 

 occurred, was enthusiastically pursued. I shall not here deal with this 

 subject in any detail, but merely mention the principal genera met with. 

 These were mostly univalves, bivalves being scarcer in species, and 

 infinitely fewer in individuals. Great numbers of opercula of a Turbo, 

 pretty polished little hemispherical bodies retaining the spiral lines of 

 structure, pens of calamaries, and the delicate vitreous wingshells of 

 pteropods occurred, as well as a large variety of fragments of coral. 

 Conus, Cerithium, Strombus, Cyprsea, Mitra, Triton amongst univalves ; 

 Area, Pectunculus, Tridacna, Chama, and Venus amongst bivalves, were 

 the best represented genera. Drift shells are rarely disturbed, the tide 

 being apparently not above a foot in range at 'Akabah. 



