Atkinson : Fauna and Flora of Lebanon and Syria. 163 



bed deepens steadily from the first. Halting in L. Huleli it receives 

 many affluents, then descends rapidly to the Sea of Galilee ; then 

 breaking from the south extremity (twelve miles from its entrance) it 

 rushes on, deepening still as it proceeds, and in so tortuous a course 

 that it increases a distance of 60 miles to 200, until it reaches the 

 Dead Sea — a mountain-pent lake 42 miles long and 12 to 16 wide, 

 1292 feet below the level of the sea, mid the deepest depression on the 

 earth's surface. 



This Ghor it is which has caused the wondrous variety of climate — • 

 and, hence, the singular contrasts in the fauna and flora, as well as in 

 the scenery and the cultivated products of the country. 



From the physical features of the country and the range of 

 altitudes, it will be evident that the climate varies in every district. 

 Even in the deserts of the south the greatest extremes of temperature 

 are experienced. Thus, in February, at Beersheba the thermometer 

 stood at daybreak at 24^ F. (the mean night temperature for a week 

 being 31®), while the mean at noon was 72^. In summer the mean 

 temperature by night would be 70®, and that by day 85^ to 90®. 



At Jerusalem, though elevated 2600 feet the climate is almost as 

 mild as Gibraltar. It is in the same isothermal line with California 

 and Florida, but free from their extremes of temperature. The mean 

 for day in January is 49°4, February 58°7, April 61°, May 73°. July 

 79°. This month has the maximum average temperature, but there 

 is not much diminution for three months after, no rain falling before 

 the middle of October. The mean temperature for November is 63®. 

 The mean for the year in 1844 was 62°6 (Glaisher) and that for four 

 years (1868-71) 66°5 (Dr. Barclay). Snow is rare and transient, 

 frost is very rare. 



This may be taken as an approximate estimate of the temperature 

 of Central Palestine, where the palm flourishes and pomegranates 

 ripen. The hill sides are clothed with the vine, olive and fig. 



In the maritime plains the averages are very much higher, and the 

 crops there are about a month earlier. Frost and snow are here 

 unknown. The orange groves of Jaffa and Sidon are the most luxu- 

 riant in the world. Here the banana and the date palm ripen their 

 fruits. 



Ill the valley of the Jordan the climate is still more tropical. On 

 the shores of the Sea of Galilee (650 feet below the sea level) the 

 heat of summer is intense, and the depression of the valley causes a 

 sudden change in the products. Here the date-palm grows wild, and 



