FAUNA AND FLORA OF SINAI, PETRA, AND WADY 'ARAB AH. 55 



on the margins of the Gh6r, where also the thick-knee was shot. Shrikes, 

 ' boomey ' owls, marsh harriers, buzzards, sparrowhawks, and kestrels 

 were all noted. The mellow, loud whistle of Tristram's grakle frequently 

 caught the ear, as did also the excessively discordant craking note of the 

 Smyrna kingfisher. The beautiful little sunbird and the gaudy blue- 

 throated robin were about equally common, the former usually frequenting 

 those acacias which gave support to the handsome Loranthus. Several 

 other warblers were observed, but for most of these, as well as the swifts, 

 and others, the season was too early. On the upper ground at the edge of 

 the Ghor several pairs of desert chats of two or three kinds might be 

 always studied, and the impression the Ghor gave me was that many 

 migratory species of Palestine who ought to travel south from the 

 Jerusalem plateau in winter found here a conveniently close and sufficiendy 

 warm retreat, which they utilize in vast numbers. 



Burrowing animals still gave evidence of their abundance. Traps set 

 for these were, I believe, appropriated by Bedawln lads, for I could never 

 rediscover them. The traps were strong, and I trust they snapped on 

 their meddlesome fingers. Jackals kept up their high-pitched scream 

 throughout the night. Bedawin, bantams, jackals, and jackasses have all 

 peculiarily high notes in the Ghor. They howl together in a shrill minor 

 key, chiefly when they ought to be asleep. 



Fresh boar tracks were always visible ; on one or two occasions I 

 heard the animals crashing in the jungle close ahead of me. Ibexes were 

 seen in the ravines close by. 



There are many cattle scattered through the Ghor. These are chiefly 

 small pretty black animals with white faces, somewhat Hke the Highland 

 breed, while goat-like sheep and. sheep-like goats, with ears hanging 

 6 inches below their snouts, are herded evening and morning. Donkeys 

 are more numerous than ponies ; there are very few of the latter in the 

 possession of the much-molested and peaceful Ghawarniheh. 



The Bedawln supplied us with poor milk and very small eggs. 



Insect life had as yet hardly awakened. About half a dozen species 

 of butterflies were observed, of which some were Ethiopian forms. Scor- 

 pions were still torpid. Molluscs, except fluviatile, were scarce, while 

 Batrachians and Reptilia might have been almost non-existent, with the 

 exception of the Lacertidae. 



