FOKADA. 57 



composed closely resembles that of Kishyat, being finely 

 crystalline, and grey or pale lilac in colour. It is very 

 probably a portion of the same great flow as Kishyat; 

 but the trachyte at Fokada unmistakeably rests upon 

 basalt, which again overlies sandstone. The basalt is 

 minutely crystalline, and dark greyish-green in colour. 

 This hill of Fokada tends very strongly to connect the 

 traps of Senafe with those to the south near Adigrat. 



Where the road winds round the western side of the 

 great trachyte hUl, the view over the valleys to the west- 

 ward is one of unusual interest and beauty (see Plate III.). 

 The valleys, as usual, are deeply cut into the metamor- 

 phics ; the flat hill-tops are of sandstone. To the south- 

 ward, above the sandstone-bed, rise the terraced trap 

 hills of the Harat range. In the far distance are the 

 strangely-shaped hummocks of the Adowa mountains. 



While traversing this part of the road I was suddenly 

 surprised by hearing the most hoarse and guttural of croaks 

 that ever issued from a bird's throat, and looking upwards 

 saw two or three of the remarkable thick-billed carrion 

 crow (Corvultur crassirostris) sitting with vultures on a 

 tree, over the carcase of a camel. This curious bird was 

 comparatively rare and local in this part of Tigr^, but I 

 subsequently saw it abundant on the high plateaux of 

 Lasta. It has a singular and by no means prepossessing 

 appearance, with its disproportionate biU and the curious 

 white patch at the back of the head. 



Close to Fokada I also first met with that lovely re- 

 presentative of the starling group, Lamprocolius chaly- 

 hceus, which, later in the year, abounded in this portion 



