284 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Dec. 



were far from rare, the last two on the river banks only. Of the Fissiros- 

 tral Insessores besides the 3 Rollers, the principal forms were 3 species 

 of Kingfisher, all insectivorous, and all distinct from the 3 species 

 which I obtained on the highlands, and 4 hornbills, of which Tockus 

 larvatus was scarce. It and Tmeteceros Abyssinicus belong to the 

 highland fauna while Tockus erytlirorhynclius and T. nasutus are 

 common to the Anseba valley and to the base of the hills. T.jlaviros- 

 tris, so common in the passes below Senafe, did not occur. 2 species 

 of Promerops, P. erythrorhynchus and P. cyanomelas, Nectarinia 

 pulcliella, JST. affinis and, very rarely, N. cruentata, Dicrurus lugu- 

 bris, Crateropus leucocephalus and G. leucopygius (another instance of 

 both highland and lowland forms occurring together) Dryoscopus 

 cuhla, Telepliorus ceihiopicus, Oligura micrura, Parus leucomelas, 

 Hypliantornis larvatus, H. personata, Estrelda plicenicotis, Lagonis- 

 ticta minima and Zonogastris citerior were a few of the more conspi- 

 cuous Insessores. Treron Abyssinica, Columba guinea and one or two 

 doves were common, Francolinus Puppelli, F. gutturalis, F. Erkelii 

 (rare here, common at higher levels) and Numida ptilorhynclia were 

 the principal Rasores. Waders were scarce, Ciconia Abdimii, Scopus 

 umbretta, Lobivanellus senegalensis being the most conspicuous, and 

 I obtained a specimen of (Edicnemus affinis. Of water birds I only 

 found Chenalopex ^Egyptiacus, the Egyptian goose or sheldrake, 

 which was breeding on trees along the river. 



Of Reptiles I obtained Emys (Pelomedusa) Gehaffice and Testudo 

 (Cinixijs) Pellianus, Varanus ocellatus and two species of snakes. 



Butterflies and beetles abounded, and I procured a small collection. 

 Mollusca were singularly scarce. 



The inhabitants of the valley consist partly of Christian tribes, 

 Bedjuk, Belen, &c, partly of the Habab Mahommadans, both being 

 perfectly friendly. There is none of the bigotry of the Abyssinian 

 highlands : both Christianity and Mahommedanism are of a low type, 

 and approximate so closely, that conversions from one to the other are 

 constantly taking place. The people composing the tribes are of two 

 classes, chiefs and commoners, of different origin, the former being 

 later immigrants into the country. The latter own all the land, the 

 wealth of the former consisting mainly of cattle. The men, from the 

 age of about 18, let their hair grow into a frizzled mass or into ringlets, 



