the late Dr. Bromfield. 



6397 



course, there are certain exceptions to this general sobriety of colouring. 

 As regards iusects, I will only mention, that of the few butterflies that 

 flit about the fields of this land of unclouded sunshine and high temper- 

 ature, that which is by far the most frequently seen is our English 

 painted lady (Cynthia Cardui), a species common with us in certain 

 years during the latter part of summer and autumn : I have noticed as 

 yet but a single insect of this order at all superior in size to the 

 largest of our English Lepidoptera : the rest, few in number as regards 

 the species, and not greatly abounding individually, do not exceed 

 our native butterflies either in point of size or beauty of colouring ; 

 which is another proof of the position before alluded to. — P. 112. 



Effects of a Scorpion Sting. — On the 21st of February our progress 

 was delayed for some hours by an accident to our servant Ameen, who 

 was stung in the hand by one of the great yellow African scorpions, 

 that had been brought to me by one of the camel drivers. Ameen, 

 foolishly relying on a supposed immunity from the venomous effect of 

 these and other noxious animals, which he believed had been commu- 

 nicated to him by a serpent-charmer at Cairo, for a consideration of 

 eleven piastres, actually grasped the scorpion with his bare hand, and 

 it instantly struck him at the root of the second finger of the left hand. 

 He suffered intense pain for a few hours, with a feeling of great cold- 

 ness all over, numbness on the left side of the body, indistinct vision, 

 sickness, and other constitutional symptoms of rather an alarming 

 nature. I had none of the proper remedies with me for scorpion 

 stings, such as ammonia and ipecacuanha, but applied laudanum to 

 the wound, and brandy internally ; the next day the symptoms had 

 quite subsided, and Ameen felt well able to continue the journey. The 

 scorpion was one of the largest I had ever seen, and was about five 

 inches in length to the end of the tail. — P. 117. 



Sketch of the Birds of Soudan. — When you write to H tell 



him that he would find abundant amusement in Soudan (Ethiopia 

 Proper) amongst the innumerable multitude of birds that inhabit this 

 region and the whole valley of the Nile ; the number of individuals is 

 perfectly astonishing, and the species themselves numerous. Birds of 

 prey abound as in Egypt ; hawks, kites, eagles, vultures, are ever seen 

 in the air ; the multitude of aquatic fowl is incredible ; geese, herons, 

 storks, cranes, spoonbills, ibises, pelicans, actually swarm, and fill the 

 air with their myriads. Every grove resounds with the cooing of doves, 

 of which we have killed five or six different species between Cairo 

 and Khartoun, the species changing with the latitude. Many European 

 genera are amongst the commonest of those inhabiting this country. 



