148 VALLEY OF THE XANTHUS IN MAY. 



the immediate neighbourhood of the river. 

 There long ranges of the great reed (Arundo 

 donax) were diversified by flowering spikes of 

 Typlia, and the damp, but fast drying-up ground, 

 was covered by Cyperus and Holoschcenus. The 

 rocky dells and shady ravines were filled with 

 oleanders, exhibiting great masses of their 

 beautiful rose-coloured flowers ; and on the 

 ledges of the precipices grew numerous bushy 

 species of Centaurea, Campanula, and Diantlius. 

 Round the houses many novel Labiates were 

 in flower, especially kinds of Marruhiwn. The 

 air was fragrant with Origanum ; and over the 

 bushy cymes of Origanum onites, hundreds of 

 that beautiful lace-winged fly, the Panorpa, 

 might be seen hovering. Had we been able, 

 a rich botanical harvest might have been then 

 reaped, but time was pressing, and the 

 danger of the malaria fever was too near at 

 hand to admit of lingering longer in this Para- 

 dise of summer flowers. 



A few days after, we ascended Cragus, and 

 carefully collected every plant then flowering 

 on the mountains. On ascending from the 

 lowlands we gathered Cynanchum erectum, a 

 Potentilla, a curious little Arum, and some 



