234 MAMMALIA. 



and of the latter I found it difficult to obtain a root which was not 

 mashed. No traces of boars were seen in the Wady 'Arabah. The 

 Palestine wild boar belongs to the European, and not to the Indian, form. 

 Found throughout Europe to Syria. 



Gazella dorcas, Linn. Gazelles were not seen in Sinai, but their 

 tracks were occasionally met with. They did not abound, however, till 

 reaching Wddy Zelegah, and other wadies skirting the Tlh plateau. In 

 Wady 'Arabah gazelles were frequendy seen in parties of from three to 

 seven, and chiefly on the western side. On the Judaean plain from Bir 

 es SebA to Gaza these graceful animals were much more common, wilder, 

 and in larger herds. At Jerusalem I saw one which was killed during 

 the snow within a mile of the Holy City in the middle of January. They 

 very rarely occur so close to the town. The Dorcas gazelle is found in 

 Syria, Arabia, Egypt^ and Algiers. 



Copra beden, Wagn. Ibex. Good heads of the Syrian ibex were 

 obtained from the Arabs in different parts of the peninsula, but it was 

 not until reaching the Wady 'Arabah that the animal was met with alive. 

 They were first seen on the plateau below the summit of Mount Hor, 

 and again on the verge of the marls at the south-east of the Gh6r, about 

 600 feet above the level of the Dead Sea. In the latter place I had an 

 excellent view of three at about a hundred yards' distance. They uttered 

 a whistling snort like that of Highland sheep when they perceived me, 

 and went off at by no means a rapid pace, although I urged them on 

 with a round of shots, including ball-cartridge and ' swandrop.' The 

 ' beden ' is found in Egypt and Arabia Petraea. No other wild ruminants, 

 whether sheep or antelope, could be heard of from the Arabs, either of 

 Sinai or 'Akabah, or along the 'Arabah. They say their goats are an 

 indigenous race, but that their sheep come from eastwards. 



Lepus sinaiticus, Hemp, et Ehr. Sinaitic hare. First seen in Wady 

 Berrah, and easily recognised by its long ears, legs, and small body. 

 Along the eastern Tih escarpment it was often met with, and obtained in 

 the Wady 'Arabah. It appeared to me to be possessed of greater speed 

 than any other hare I have met with, and travelled at an altogether 

 marvellous rate. Nevertheless, it is very stupid, and allows itself (like 



