212 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
circular bundles of supple sticks have been fastened. The roofs 
are conical, and overhang the walls about three feet ; the thatching 
is very neatly done, The entrance is small, and is made still smaller 
by a stone which is placed in it on the ground. The door is of 
wicker-work, made to slide backwards and forwards, and fastened 
behind by a bar and pins ; a handle is placed in the middle 
of it, both inside and out, to move it with. There are two 
fireplaces — one chiefly for cooking, made with three stones ; the 
other for the people to sit round, especially in the cold season, as 
the mornings are very chilly. There are no chimneys or windows. 
The young men in the village have one hut in common for sleeping, 
into which they are banished at puberty. Outside the hut are 
cooking places, store-houses, and cow seribas, all of which are 
enclosed by a fence, and beyond it extend the gardens. 
Food . — Although the staple food of the Fors is dhurra, it must 
not be supposed that this is the only item in their bill of fare, for 
their larder is well stocked with fish, flesh, fowl, insects, vegetables, 
and fruit. Fish is very abundant in the lakes and the rivers of 
western Darfur. There are many different kinds, all of which are 
freely eaten by the natives with the exception of the eels, which 
it appears are only consumed by the blacksmiths (see below). 
Cows, sheep, goats, gazelles, hares (rare), rabbits, wild dogs (eaten 
by wandering beggars), buffaloes, various antelopes, elephants, 
rhinoceros, rats, and wild boars, form a plentiful and varied supply 
of animal food. 
Fowls are reared in large numbers, and pigeons, guinea-fowl, 
parrots, storks, wild ducks, owls (eaten only by beggars in great 
want), and various small birds, are found in abundance. Ostriches 
are eaten sometimes, but only when other food is very scarce, as their 
flesh is supposed to induce a disease, the principal symptom of 
which is a very red and repulsive face. Locusts, water beetles, and 
grubs from trees, are considered luxuries, and form favourite 
entrees. The vegetables are tomatoes, bananas, cucumbers, water 
melons (used also for washing and drinking purposes when water is 
scarce), various marrows, and onions. The fruits are not very 
varied ; dates, bananas, lemons, and a kind of cherry from which 
wine is made, are cultivated; and sugar-cane grows in great abund- 
ance in the west. Wheat is grown to a limited extent in the Gebel 
