30 



PLANTS AND ANIMALS. 



of Bethlehem (Gagea arvensis), and the beautiful 

 blue Merendera bulbocodium. Insects too are 

 appearing, though slowly. A black meloe, a 

 carabus, and numbers of the explosive little 

 brachinus were common among the ruins. In 

 digging up the marbles, scorpions, snakes, and an 

 occasional tortoise, were turned out of their 

 hiding-places. A singular blindworm (Anguis 

 punctatissimus ?) and the purple Amphisbama 

 were not uncommon. Snipes are plentiful in 

 the plain, and the francolin has been seen. 

 Red-legged partridges are most abundant, and 

 hop about the ruins with great composure. 

 Among our delicacies at dinner were wild-boar 

 and porcupine. The latter roasted and eaten 

 cold is especially delicious. 



A day was devoted to an excursion to Patara, 

 which lies on the coast at some distance from the 

 left bank of the river, about ten miles from 

 Xanthus. We rode along the river-side to the 

 sand-hills, passing large straw-thatched villages of 

 Chingunees (Gipsies) on the way, and then 

 crossed the sand-hills to the sea-side. The sand 

 was strewed in places with shells of donax, 

 mactra, and janthina, cast up alive, and we found 

 some specimens of the beautiful Porpita Medi- 



