H £B>ontbl\> journal of IRatural Science* 
Vol. I., No. 3. 
MALTA, AUGUST 1st. 1891. 
f 4/ Per annum 
\ By post 5/- 
CONTENTS. 
— <►* — Page 
1 Cyprus.— Lt. Gen. Sir R. Biddulpk, G.C.M.G., C.p 29 
2 The Culture of Figs -W. F. Massey 33 
3 The Origin and Character of the Sahara.— Dr. John 
Murray. ' 34 
4 Notes and News, — A new fossil deer.— The wea- 
ther in Algeria.— Prizes of the French Academy. 
—Prof. Crova on diffused light.— Civil honours 
for scientific men & c. &c. 36 
o Observations on the Geology of the Maltese Islands 
—John H. Cooke. 37 
6 Discovery of fossil remains at Arpino. 42 
7 Insect plagues around the Mediterranean. 43 
8 A eirs of the Month: — Earthquake in Verona.— Dr, 
Jolmston-Lavis’s new work.— French zoological 
stations. — Atmospheric effects in the Mediter- 
ranean.— A new fungus parasite &c. & c. 43 
9 Exchange! Column 44 
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o 
o 
CYPRUS, 
by Lieut.-General Sir R. Biddulph, g.c.m.g., o.b., 
late H, M. High Commissioner, Cyprus. 
The island of Cyprus is the third largest in the 
Mediterranean, being inferior in size only to Sicily 
and Sardinia. Its area is 3584 square miles. Its 
principal features are two mountain ranges, run- 
ning pretty well parallel to each other from east 
to west. The northernmost of these two ranges 
extends almost the whole length of the island 
from Cape Kormakiti on the north-west to Cape 
St. Andrea at the end of the horn-like promontory 
which stretches for 40 miles from the north-east 
of the island. This promontory is called the 
Oarpas, and the low mountain chain running 
through it is called the Carpas range. The 
westernmost and higher portion of the northern 
range is called the Kyrenia range, and rises to an 
altitude of 3340 feet. This range is of a remark- 
ably picturesque outline, in some parts extremely 
rugged It is mostly a single ridge without any 
remarkable spurs, and its summit is about two 
miles from the northern coast. It can be crossed 
in many places, but there are three well-defined 
passes over it, viz. the Akatou Pass, which sepa- 
rates the Kyrenia and Carpas ranges; the Kyrenia 
Pass, which is due south of the town of Kyrenia, 
and forms the approach to it from Nicosia; and 
the Myrtou Pass, further west. The chief moun- 
tain peaks of this range are Kornos, 3105 feet; 
Bnffavento, 3140; and Pentedaktylos, 2400. The 
last named is a remarkably shaped rock in the 
centre of the Kyrenian range, owing its name to 
its shape, the word Pentedaktylos signifying in 
Greek “five-lingered.” Beneath this rock there 
rushes out southward from the mountain side, at 
an altitude of 870 feet, a torrent of water, which 
never ceases to flow summer or winter, and which, 
descending into the great plain in the centre of 
the island, carries its fertilising streams to the 
