11.

afterwards we passed the town of Amrus, also CHAP. constructed of mud, and containing a number of lofty conical pigeon-houses, similarly built; exhibiting a novel and remarkable appearance in the approach to this place. Pigeons' dung, everywhere valuable as manure, is here an important acquisition; for by mixing it with the sand upon the little islands left by the torrent in the midst of the river, a soil is formed, capable of producing water-melons'.

The birds which frequent the Nile, if we except the account given by Hasselquist, are but little known; and our observations will not supply what is here wanted for the natural history of the country. A most superb collection. was, however, forwarded to England, under the patronage and by the immediate orders of Lord Hutchinson. It had been formed, with consummate skill and labour, by a person of the name of Savigny. We principally noticed pelicans, from the mouth of the Nile, as far as Rachmanie. The Sterna Nilotica, or Egyptian sea-swallow, appeared, in immense flocks, near the sides of the

(1) See also Baron De Tott's Memoirs, vol. II. p. 248. Lond. 1785. (2) See Travels, p. 193. Lond. 1766.

II.

CHAP. river. Afterwards we saw many beautiful birds, of whose names we are entirely ignorant; particularly one of the plover kind, whose plumage displayed the most lively and variegated colours'. The pigeon-cones increased very much after passing Amrus; almost every village being furnished with them. Buffaloes, swimming about in the Nile, afford a singular sight, with their black noses sticking out of the water, snorting as they cross from side to side; all the rest of their bodies being concealed. But the most Singular remarkable appearance of living beings, may be Animal noticed by dipping a ladle or bucket into the midst of the river, which is everywhere dark with mud, and observing the swarms of animals contained in the torrent. Among these, tadpoles and young frogs are so numerous, that, rapid as the current flows, there is no part of the Nile where the water is destitute of them. The additions to our herbary were not of any importance; for the season was too far advanced.

appear

ance.

Plants.

(1) Probably the " Tringa Ægyptiaca” of Linnæus, “longirostris, fusco albidoque variegata.” See Hasselq. Trav. p. 199.

(2) In the account of our journey from Aboukir to Rosetta, (See Chap. IX. Vol. III. p. 367. 8vo. edit.) five new species were omitted, which may be noticed here, although perhaps not found so high up the Nile. The first genus is not mentioned in Professor Martyn's edition of Miller's Dictionary.

I. A non

II.

The rice-plants, however, may be excepted; they CHAP. had not attained maturity, being now about two feet in height, and resembling a species of Typha, common in large ponds in the south of England, vulgarly called flags; as these appear, when young, rising from the water. We made the usual observation upon Fahrenheit's ther

I. A non-descript grass, being a new species of POLYPOGON; growing in little tufts, about two inches high. We have called it POLYPOGON PUMILUM. (See the character of this genus in the Flora Atlantica of M. Desfontaines, Professor of Botany in the Museum of Natural History at Paris.) This was found near ROSETTA. Polypogon pumilum, paniculá ovatá coarctatâ, aristis calyce hirsuto ferè duplò longioribus. Radix annua fibrosa. Culmi numerosi geniculati, ferè ad apices foliosi. Folia glabriuscula striata, longè vaginantia, supra plana, patentia. Stipulæ laceratæ, nitidæ. Paniculæ inæquales, superiores lineas sex ad novem longæ ; inferiores dimidio minores. II. A non-descript species of LOTUS, with shining silky leaves, very closely crowded together towards the top of the branches. We have called it LOTUS POLYPHYLLUS. This was found between Aboukir and Rosetta, in the month of APRIL. Lotus caule suffrutescente ramoso, foliis lineari-parabolicis obliquis, imbricatis, sericeis, nitidis internodiis longioribus; floribus subternis; leguminibus glabris calyce hirsutissimo paulo longioribus. Rami adscendentes flexuosi, deorsum e casu foliorum cicatricibus notati nudi; supradense foliosi, hirsuti. Foliola lineas tres longa, utrinque sericea. Stipulæ foliolis simillimæ. Flores foliis parum longiores, interdum solitarii. Legumina turgida stylo persistente coronata.

III. A magnificent non-descript species of OROBANCHE, with a furrowed scaly stem, and a close spike of flowers about three inches broad, and above a foot in height. We have called it OROBANCHE INSIGNIS. This was also found between Aboukir and Rosetta, at the same time. Orobanche caule simplici, corollis inflatis, recurvis, quinquefidis, laciniis integerrimis,calycibus quinquepartitis, bracteis ternis quaternisve, spicâ imbricatâ, oblongâ, crassissima; anther is hirsutis.

IV. A non

CHAP. mometer, at noon, just before arriving at El II. Buredgiat, and found the temperature equal to El Bured- that of the former day; ninety degrees. This village is placed accurately in Kauffer's map. We

giat.

steered south-east and by south. Proceeding towards Nadir, the course altered, and we steered due east. The river here appeared like

IV. A non-descript shrubby species of SALSOLA, belonging to that division of the genus called Sueda by Forskahl and Pallas, and distinguished principally by the want of the membranaceous wing to the calyx. The species is very much branched, with the bark of an ash colour; the smaller branches very leafy; the leaves two to three lines long, a little convex below; the flowers are attended by three small bracts, and generally ternate, but are found also solitary; the seeds black and shining, very small. We have called it SALSOLA NITIDA. This was found in the neighbourhood of Rosetta. Salsola fruticosa, foliis ovatis supra planiusculis, glabris, obtusis ; floribus axillaribus subternis; calycibus fructiferis inappendiculatis, conniventibus; seminibus reniformibus turgidis.

V. A non-descript species of Wall-flower, (CHEIRANTHUS Linn.) the short stems of which spread upon the ground, and seldom extend beyond the radical leaves; these measure two and a half or three inches in length; the flowers in loose racemes, with purple petals, broad and notched at the end, and interwoven with dark veins ; the pods compressed, an inch to an inch and a half in length, with a large three-cornered head, and thinly covered (like every part of the plant, the petals, stamens, and roots excepted) with white forky hairs. We have called it CHEIRANTHUS HUMILIS. This grew in the neighbourhood of Rosetta. Cheiranthus puvescens, humilis; pilis dichotomis; foliis angustis elongatis omnibus pinnatifidis; siliquis compressis, linearibus, tricuspidatis calycibusque pubescentibus.

II.

Remarka

nomenon.

an immense lake. A singular phænomenon en- CHAP. grossed all our attention. One of those immense columns of sand, mentioned by Bruce, came able Pharapidly towards us, turning upon its base as upon a pivot: it crossed the Nile so near to us, that the whirlwind by which it was carried placed our vessel upon its beam-ends, bearing its large sail quite into the water, and nearly upsetting the boat. As we were engaged in righting the vessel, the column disappeared. It is not probable that those columns fall suddenly upon any particular spot, so as to be capable of overwhelming an army or a caravan; but that, as the sand, thus driven, is gradually accumulated, it becomes gradually dispersed, and, the column diminishing in its progress, at length disappears. A great quantity of sand is no doubt precipitated as the effect, which gathers it, becomes weaker; but, from witnessing such Phænomena upon a smaller scale, it does not seem likely that the whole body of the sand is at once abandoned.

Parties of young Arabs continually accompa- Tumblers. nied our djerm this day, running along the banks of the river, and tumbling, to obtain a few parâs, as we see children in many parts of England; sometimes walking upon their hands, with their