266 
Mr. C. G. Danford on the 
deresi (Valley of Hell). The only path to the bottom leads 
by sharp zigzags down to a small mill. The aneroid gave 
the depth of the descent as nearly 2000 feet. The scenery of 
the valley itself is beautiful; and it is probably with reference 
to the return ascent that it has received its name. The change 
of temperature on reaching the river was great. Above was 
winter and snow, below warm spring, with butterflies ( Gone - 
pteryx rhamni, var. farinosa) flitting about, and primroses, 
violets, and snowdrops in full bloom. The stream is about the 
size of a good Scotch burn, and in some places tumbles wildly 
about among large boulders, and in others forms long gravelly 
runs and deep rock-shadowed pools. The water is very clear 
and of a greenish colour. It absolutely swarms with trout 
(Salmo fario, var. ausoni ), called by the natives f Pulu baluk y 
(spotted fish). They are very good-shaped fish, running about 
three to the pound, and are of a most unsophisticated nature, 
taking freely any fly offered to them. A mile below the mill 
the stream enters an impassable gorge and emerges into the 
Pambuk deresi. Here the trout are much less numerous, 
no doubt owing to the presence of numbers of mountain- 
barbel or ‘ Jonuz J ( Capoeta syriaca) . Birds are scarce in this 
region. A few Water-ouzels hurry up and down; troops of 
Long-tailed Tits disport themselves in the tops of the plane 
trees, whose green-grey stems are here, contrary to their 
ordinary habit of growth, tall and slim. Add to the above 
birds some common Tits, Hedge-Sparrows, Thrushes, a soli¬ 
tary Kingfisher or Sandpiper ( Totanus ochropus ), with a few 
Wild Ducks, and the winter ornithological resources of the 
place may be regarded as nearly exhausted. 
The country about Zebil between the ravine and the moun¬ 
tains is irregular, and made up of low hills, chiefly formed of 
conglomerate and limestone. Fossils, especially oysters and 
echinoderms, are abundant. Deep earthy gullies intersect 
the ground between the small flats, which are, for the most 
part, cultivated. Tracts of heath and brushwood afford 
shelter to numerous Hares (Lepus syriacus ), Partridges, #nd 
a sprinkling of Woodcocks. Most of the large game inhabit 
the lower and warmer districts. The natives of the Zebil are 
