44 SOME ACCOUNT OF THE 



silicle which formed almost the entire plant, was so fragile that it failed 

 to reach home. The silicle valves had separated, dehiscing from the base 

 upwards, one at either side of the septum. 



In this part of the 'Arabah Pancratium Sickembergerl was frequently 

 gathered. At the spring of 'Aytan Buweirideh, a little south of Wddy 

 Ghuweir, I obtained many old friends, Populus euphratica attains here 

 good dimensions. No less than three running streams maintain a brief 

 but productive existence across the sands. I gathered here Prosopis 

 stephaniana, Willd.; Pulicaria arabica, D.C.; Statice pruinosa, Linn.; 

 Artemisia monosperma, Del.; Suceda asphaltica, Boiss.; Salsola fetida, 

 Forsk., and many more. 



Several bulbous species were obtained here. One of these, which has 

 flowered since my return, has been determined by Mr. Baker, Urginea 

 undulata, Desf. 



Further north, towards the Gh6r, I collected Eremobium Uneare, Del. ; 

 Monsonia nivea, Dene.; Anastatica hierochuntina, Linn. (' Rose of 

 Jericho'); Astragalus Forskahiii, Boiss.; A. acinaciferus, Boiss.; Rkamnus, 

 sp. (?) ; Cartkamus glaucus, M.B.; Androcymbium palcestinum, Baker.; 

 Allittm Sinaiticum, Boiss.; Aristida ciliata, Desf.; A. Plumosa, Linn.; 

 Panicum turgidum, Forsk., with the usual desert species. 



The most noticeable feature in the animal life in the northern half of 

 the 'Arabah has been already mentioned. I allude to the extraordinary 

 abundance of small holes and burrows in stone and gravelly sand. The 

 riddled surface reminded me forcibly of the lemming haunts of Discovery 

 Bay, in lat. 8i° 45^ north, where, however, all were due to one species, 

 with the exception of those of a larger rodent, the stoat, who preyed upon 

 the lemmings. One would expect to find acarnivorous rodent subsisting on 

 the abundant supplies here also, but none such has been as yet discovered. 

 The holes in Wddy 'Arabah vary from small ant-holes and lizard caches to 

 those of rabbit-holes, and one or two fox-holes (?) were also observed. 

 Tracks of various sizes also abound. Jerboas, porcupine mice, gerbilles, 

 and sand-rats (Psammomys) are the groups represented, of which it is very 

 difficult to secure specimens during a hurried march like ours. Canon Tris- 

 tram, however, enumerates a considerable variety. One which I trapped 

 here, Gerbillus erythrurus, Gr., was sand-coloured, and the size of a large 

 rat, and is now in the British Museum. It does not appear in Canon 



