LIBRARY OF 1885-1056 The Natural History OF Sokotra and Abd=el=Kuri. 1 I ^wjO?*'*'^ THE NATURAL HISTORY OK SOKOTRA AND ABDELKURl Being' the Report upon the Results of the Conjoint Expedition to these Islands in 1898-9, by Mr. W. R. OQILVIE-QRANT, of the British Museum, and Dr. H. O. FORBES, of the Liverpool Museums, together with information from other available sources FORMING A Monograph of the Islands EDITED I'.V HENRY O. FORBES, LL.D. DIRFrTO:^ OF THE 1,!\ }../ER POO L T H E F R E E 1' U H L I C M U S E U AI S HEXRV YOUNG & SONS, 12 South Castle Street AND 23 Parker Street LO N DON : R. H. PO RTER 1903 THIS \'OLUME IS ISSUED AS A SPECIAL BULLETIN OF THE LIVERPOOL ^I U S E U M S. LIST OF AUTHORS, List of Authors. I. B. BALFOUR, F.R.S,, l!i-(jiiis Prof<'s>le for their comfort and assistance while on board : and, finally, but not less sincerely, to D. MacKinnon, p]sq., and the British India S.S. Company, for generous concessions and privileges in the matter "• The British Association Committee consisted of Dr. J. Scott-Keltie ; Dr. H. O. Forbe.-; Dr. W. T. Blanfoid, F.K.S. ; and Professor Weldou, F.R.S. Vlll THE NATFRAI, HISTORY <»F SOKOTRA AND ABD-EL-KIRI. of fares and l)aggage on the voyages to and from Aden, on their ships Manora and G/ioorkJm. I am under special ol (ligations to my friends .lohnston Watson, Ksq., M.A., and S. W. Lam1)ert, Es(|., of the Middle Temple, for their kindness in obtaining foi- the ?L\:pedition from the Eastern Telegraph ("(mipany the use, fi'ee of charge, of the cable from Aden. This privilege was most highly appreciated by Mr. (Irant and myself, as, in possessing it, not only was telegraphic communication with Bombay and London (necessitated during the pei'iod of an.xious delay referred to in the Xarrafirr) expedited, and at a great saving to the resources of the Expedition, but also our families were able to lie informed frequently of our welfare. The Narrative, of the Jonninj, by the Editor, as oi'iginally written, dealt at considerable length with observations made on the history, anthropology and ethnology of the Sokotran Archipelago, besides treating of subjects the interest and importance of which oidy became apparent on in\ estigation after the return of the Expedition, such as, among others, the origin of the domestic cattle found on Sokotra ; the marriage customs of the ancient Sokotri ; and the ([uestion of the distril)ntion of land and water in the Indian Ocean as indicated l>y a stvidy (jf the fauna and Hora of the islands. It was found, however, that the incorporation of this material would have bi'ought the cost of publication beyond the sum provided therefor, and would have l)esides renderetl the .size of the volume inconveniently large, so that this section has had to T)e reduced to little more than a mere itinerary. These subjects, together with, it is hoped, the results of the topographical observations, will form a separate publication. HENKY O. FORBES, Director oj ilutitumft. The Museums, Liverpool, April, 1903. CONTENTS. IX CONTENTS. PAliE Preface '^''' Narrative of the Journey, by HENRY 0. FORBES, LL.l) xv Zoology of Sokotra and Abd-el-Kuri : l-^*-* Mammalia, by \V. E. l)E WINTON ; KENRY 0. FORBES, LL.l). : W. H. OGILVIE-(iRANT 3 Aves, by W. R. 0(;iLVIE-(4RANT ; HENRY O. FORBES, LL.l). 19 Reptilia, by (4. A. BOULENGER, F.R.S 73 Batrachia ; Pisces, Note by HENRY O. FORBES, LL 1) 105 Gastropoda, by El Hi AR A. SMITH, F.Z.S 109 Morphological observations on genera of the Families of Cyclos- tomidseandHelicidffi, byLt.-Col. H. H. GODWIN- AUSTEN, F.R.S 159 Arachnida, by R. I. POCOCK 175 Crustacea, by R. I. POCOCK ; A. 0. WALKER, F.L.S. ; ANDREW SCOTT, A.L.S "-^Og Insecta: 233-426 Hymenoptera, by W. F. KIRBY, F.L.S 233 Coleoptera, by C. J. GAHAN, M.A 261 Lepidoptera I.-Rhopalocera, l>y ^V. R. OGILVIE -GRANT 293 Lepidoptera II. Phalaenae. by Sir (i. HAMPSON, Bart 319 Lepidoptera III.- Pterophoridse and Tineina,by the Right Hon. Lord WALSIN(;HAM, M.A., LL.l)., F.R.S. ... 3-11 Diptera, by GERTRUDE RICARDO ; F. V. THEOBALD, M.A. 357 Hemiptera, by G. W. KIRKALDY 379 Neuroptera: 379-408 Pseudo Neuroptera, Note by HENRY 0. FORBES, LL.l). Neuroptera Amphibiotica, by R. McLACHLAN, F.R.S. Neuroptera Planipennia, by W. F. KIRBY, F.L.S. Orthoptera, by MALCOLM BURR, F.L.S 409 Myriapoda, by R. I. POCOCK 427 Hirudinea : Chsetopoda, Note by HENRY o. FORBES, LL.D. 441 X THK NATt |;AI. IIISTOKY (JF SOKOTKA AND AliD-KL-KlKI. Botany of Sokotra and Abd-el-Kuri : Angiospermse, l)yPiof. I. B. BALFOUR, F.R.S Pteridophsrta, l)y Prof. T. B. BALFOUR, F.R.S Thallophyta : Fungi, Characese, Algae, Diatomaceae, ";""' BALFOUR, " Botany of Socotra." Lichenes, by OTTO V. DARBISHIRE, Ph.D. Algae, ('.'• Ab(l-el-Kuri) l)y E. :\r. HOLMES, F.L.S. Geology of Sokotra and Abd-el-Kuri : Note on the Geology, by Prof. J. w. <;rE(!ORV, F.R.S Index p.\(;k. 445-570 447 535 543 571 573 5S.S List of Plates. I. lA. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XL XII. XIII. XIIlA. XIV. XI Va. XIVb. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII. Sokotra Pottery ... ... ... . . to face Sketch Map of S(jkotra, showing route ... ,, Wild Ass of Sokotra (1) FiingiUiuia surutraiui ; (2) F. iiisiilaris ... Capriinnhjii^ joncd Scops socofniiiiis I'hdhirrorora.i: nigroijaldiis (1) Piixscr lu'iiiiJciirns : (i*) Mofacilhi forVHiodl I'lnjUoildiiijlus riehcckii (1) PJiijUodadijlns trarhi/rhinus ; {2) Hi'Dihlnrtijlus furbcsii {\) Hcmidadylas puiiiilio : (2) H. o.njrJdnus ; (3) H. granti (1) Parachtilrides sorofnnius .- (2) Glanronin filifnrmis : (3) iiMcruni ... Mollu.sca from Sokotra and Abfl-el-Kuri ... 5, ,1 ,1 ,, ,1 • • . Moi'phology of (litiUdiiiw and Lithidiau Spiders from Sokotra and A1)d-el-Kuii Crustaceans from Abd-el-Kuri ll 1) •!■> • • • ■ ■ ■ Bees from Sokotra and Abd-el-Kui'i )) )' 1' ') " • • • Beetles from Sokoti'a and Al)d-el-Kui'i ChardJX'ti (vlit.r Butterflies fiom Sokotra Moths from Sokotra and Abd-el-Kuri Micros from Sokoti-a and Alxl-el-Kuri Flies fi'om Sokotra and Abd-el-Kuri Hemii)tei'a from Sokoti'a title page, page XV. 18 (U 66 6S 70 72 y Col. Oodwi ,, /y. soulri//'H(iiiu>ii, ,, 0. iKifiofidrs, ,, ,, Trnpidnphorn (?) iniifaxriafa, ,, ,, ,, b/'fsileueiids, ,, ,, (riiillainia [/rata, „ ,, Biilmiinis }i(dfoiin, „ (Tcnitalia of ,, xtxritorciixix, ,, lialjniiri. Palpus of Araiiciis hnjilo])hy Smit, Hisferomorphm pUcatip('nim,irom. Proc. Z.S., ... EmosurJl/a Anh'tro, from a di'awing l»y Mrs. I. B. Balfonr, „ Tlfix snbaphyUii, „ „ Young Cucumber Trees, ,, Voung Flowers and Fruit of Dcmlni.'iicijos socofraint, „ Cohfdlnihis (intiili, from a photograph, EiijJtarhia Ahi/rlLiiri, from a photograph, Geological Sketch Map of S(jkotra, from the "Geological Magazine," p.\(:k. 278 L'79 281 284 436 437 461 464 473 474 524 528 578 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SOKOTRA AND AIVD-EL-XriU. ERRATA. Oti page 50, /w Qubbat 5hoab, mul Ghubbet Shoab. ,, <)2, /'// CEgiaiitis, retal /Egialitis. „ '112, far Potamon Socotrensis, reail Potamon socotrensis. „ 241, nftrr Harpactopus, ///»'// Smith. „ 278, inulrr njiprr p'(jiiir, iitseii tith' Adelostoma bicarinatum. „ 289, after Melyris, /«.sr/7 Fabr. „ 329, for Choerocampa, rem/ Chasrocampa. „ 333, after Eremocossus, insert Hamps. „ 375, after Anthrax, insert Scop. „ 385, transfer Aspilocoryphus to line lielnv Lygaeidae, auctt. ,, 406, /r^/ Trithernis arteriosa, /v'^7 Trlthemis arteriosa. ,, 415, on lines Ki, 15, 11, \() from hi)ltian efore the monsoon for the coasts of Malabar, and now every funnel that comes through the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, wherever bound, sights its cloud-belted rocks. Nevertheless, it has been little visited by p]uropeans, by reason of the great difficulty of reaching it, for, on account of its harljoui'less shores, it is not a port-of-call except for vessels specially chartei-ed, or for native baghlahs never savoury or very safe. Unless for surveying purposes, no scientific investigator had visited the island, and none had devoted any attention, save for a few desultory observa- tions, to the biological problems that this insular group presents, till the year' 1879-80, when, as the result of the efforts of a committee of the Bi'itish Association, the exploration of Sokotra was entrusted to Professor I. B. Balfour, of Edinburgh, then in the Chair of Botany in Glasgow University, a naturalist already distinguished for similar investigations as a mem])er of the Royal Society's Transit of Venus Expedition to the Mascai'ene Islands in 1874-5. Accompanied l)y Lieut. Cockburn, Mr. Leech and Mr. Scott, Prof. Balfour devoted two months' hard labour to his task, and returned with large collections of very exceptional interest. The following year (1881) two Grermans, Dr. Sehweinfurth and Dr. Riebeck (accompanied by Drs. Mantay and Rosset), both well known as accomplislied scientific men, quite unaware of Professor Balfour's Expe- dition, had, while in Arabia, their attention directed towards this isolated speck of land, and together made their way to Sokotra in a nati^'e baghlah, and further contributed to our knowledge of the island by their exploration, which lasted some six weeks. After an interval of seventeen years Sokotra was again re- visited by the late Mr. Theodore Bent, an erudite ti'aveller, well known for his archaeological investigations in many countries. He was accompanied by Mrs. Bent and Mr. E. N. Bennett, of Hertford College, Oxford. The first two expeditions — Professor Balfour's and Dr. Schweinfurth's — ■ were, from the eminence of their leaders in that science, specially botanical ; while of Mr. Bent's the main object was the search for traces of the Him- yaritic civilisation of Arabia. Although Dr. Balfour and the members of Dr. Schweinfurth's Expedition interested themselves also in the people and their language, and made collections in several groups of zoology, as did Mr. Bennett of Mr. Bent's party, as well as a few of the naval and military officers who at various times had been officially engaged in the Arabian seas, no expedi- tion had visited the islands with the special object of investigating their fauna. Considering that the Report of the British Association Committee of 1880 concluded with the statement that " the Committee feel no doubt that in every I>ranch of science considerable results are yet to be obtained b}^ further NARRATIVE OF THR .loritXKY. XIX iin-ostigations in Sokotra," it was tliought l)y us that tlie region might with profit l»e more thoroughly investigated zoologically. It was accordingly an-auged that the exploration should l>e undertaken dui'ing the winter of lcS9S-99 l)y Ml-. Grant and myself. Having purchased tents and camping eciuipment and laid in the necessary stores, baiter, and medicines, we sailed from the Thames for Aden on the morning of the 2y the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Vieinia, of which Hofrath Professor David Mliller, the distinguished Aral)ic scholar and authority, was a member. Landijig at the Prince of Wales Quay, we fixed our (juarters in the Hotel de I'Europe, where in the evening Captain Lloyd-Jones, of the Array Medical Service, called upon us to very courteously offer any assist- ance he could, and to inform us that the honorary membei'ship of the Club had lieen extended to us. From him, however, we learned, in the course of conversation, the rather disciuieting news that difficulties of a political character — of which he was not fulh^ acquainted — had arisen between the Government of India and the Sultan of Sokotra which might possi]:>ly inter- fere with the Expedition's proceeding to its destination. It was with some anxiety, therefore, that we drove to the Residency next morning to rejjort our arri\al to General Creagh, by whom we were received in the kindest possible manner. He expressed the fullest sympathy with the ol»jects of our Exjjedition, but regretted he had to convej^ to us the disappointing informa- XX THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SOKOTHA AND ABD EL-KURI. tion that the relations between the Indian (xovernment and the Arabian Sultan of Crishin, who is also Sultan of Sokotra, were at the moment consider- ably strained, owing to His Highness having entirely ignored the various letters of complaint addressed to him by the Government of India in regard to numerous acts of piracy which he had l)een permitting in Sokotra since the wieck of the P. and 0. steamer Aden on its eastern point. The General, therefore, greatly to his regret, was unable to give us reconnnendatory letters to the Sultan, or rather Governor, of the island — who, though oulv Viceroy on his uncle of Gishin's behalf, also generally I'eceives the style and title of Sultan. A\'ith()ut these letters our reception on the island might be unfriendly, and such olistaeles to moving alwut placed in our way as to make our visit of little profit ; while if we were the l)earers of an official rec(jmmendation disregarded l)y the Sultan, the Govenunent of India would be placed in an unpleasant position. This situation had been communicated by General Creagh to the India Office before our departure from liondon, with a recommenda- tion that we should Ije advised to postpone our Expedition for a season. He was, therefore, much surprised when he heard that we had actually arrived in Aden. Strangely enough, although we were in comnumication with the India Office, and had a few days before we sailed received a telegram through it from the Government of India granting us the loan of tents from the Service stores at Aden for use on the Plxpedition, no hint of this communica- tion had l)een conveyed to us. Now that we had arrived, the Kesident, sympathising with our disappointment, most considei'ately volunteered to re-examine the question at once, in the hope of being able to suggest some arrangement to the Ijidian Government under which the Expedition might, with as little delay as possible, lie allowed to proceed. As some few days would necessarily have to elapse before a reply could be received, he very amialily placed at our disposal for the interval, should we care to go there, his bungalow at Sheikh Othman, on the northern shore of the bay forming the harbour of Aden, where it was cooler, and whei'e at least some little vegetation and more animal life was to be found than in the Settle- ment— an ()i\hv we cordially accepted. Matters connected with the landing and arrangement of our baggage detained us for two days, during which we had the pleasure of exchanging visits with the members of the Austrian Expedition to South-Arabia on the Gottfried. Count Lamberg, Plenipotentiary of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, we were unfortunate enough to miss on our reciprocal visits ; but our intercourse then with Dr. David A. Midler, Dr. Kossmat, Professor Simony, Dr. Paulay and Mr. Bury is a pleasant recollection, while our relations at a later date, as will appear beloAv, placed us under deep ol)ligation for kindness of no ordinary kind during a period of gi'ave sickness. On the 20th, we were at last able to take advantage of the Resident's permission to occupy his Innigalow at Sheikh Othman, some ten miles to the north. In the cool of a delightful morning we set out in a couple of gharries, accompanied by our taxidermist Cutmore and a Somali butler Jamah. We reached Sheikh Othman before eight o'clock, and found there a very comfort- NAKKATIVE OF TTIE .TOT^RNKY. XXI al)le, airy, eiiropeanised oriental bungalow of stone, standing in a large walled-in shady compound, abundantly planted with palms, acacias, almond trees, jasmine, hibiscus, and other Howering shrubs. Here we spent a couple of most pleasant days — all we dared arrange for, as we were in hourly expectation of news fi'om the (Tovernment of India in regard to our journey to Sokotra — and obtained a glimpse of the fauna of the desert. Life was practically confined to the walhid-in, well watered gardens surrounding the various bungalows there, and consisted chiefly of insects, lizards, and birds. Considering the encompassing desert, the numb(>r of species we obtained was remarkable. We were greatly disappointed to learn on our return to Aden on the 23rd that no reply had arrived from the Government of India to General Creagh's telegram. It was indeed possible, we now learned, that some con- siderable time might elapse before a reply could be received. Considering, therefore, that the season and our leave were rapidly and fruitlessly passing away, and that the probability was great that, if permission were given to proceed to Sokotra, it would have to he preceded by preliminary political negotiations with the Sultan at Gishin, which would still further consume our time, we decided, if no repl}^ should reach Aden within the next few days, to abandon altogether our Sokotra journey, and proceed into the little known mountainous Al)dali country of South Arabia under the Sultan of Lahej, between whom and the English Goverinnent the most friendly relations have now for a long time existed. The Resident, who, in an interview he had with the Sultan the day after our return, had taken the opportunity to warmly commend our Expedition to his assistance and protection, should we proceed into the interior, had received from His Highness a cordial invitation for us to visit him at Lahej, with the assurance of a safe escort and the promise that everything in his power would be done for the comfort and success of our mission among the hills. Several days ha\ing passed without news from India, we agreed that by accepting the Sultan's invitation to Lahej we might employ our time to more advantage there than in Aden. For our stay in the interior General Creagh Avas good enough to place at our service from the Boml)ay troop at Khor Muksor, an Arab jemadar (or sub-officer) and a Sikh sowar as guard, and for our transport, the necessar}^ riding and baggage camels. We decided to travel as lightly equipped as possible, arranging for the bulk of our baggage and the requisite servants to be sent on to us, if no authority for our visit to Sokotra should arrive by the date we had given ourselves as the latest we could afford to wait. After that date we agreed, as our best course, to undertake an investigation of the little known hills in the north of the Sultan's dominions. In addition to our excellent butler -lamah, a reliable interpreter was all we needed to complete our retinue, and him we found in Gulaid Elmi, a Somali. This man's linguistic attainments were really remai'kable. Arabic and Somali were his mother tongues. He spoke Hindustani excellently, French by no means badly, and P^nglish with XXll THE NATrit.Vr, insToiiY OF SOKOTltA AXI» ABD-EL-KriM. wonderful accuracy aud with a good accent. Moreo\'er, he could write each of these languages in its own script. His countenance being open and pleasing, we engaged him on ti'ial as interpreter foi' our Lahej excursion. I may say here that he pro\ed most satisfactory in e\ery way. I learned from him subsequently that, as a boy, he had come under the notice of, and been sent to a good school in Aden by that humanitarian and talented officer Major Hunter. He had served as clerk in vaiious English business houses, and had been employed later as a secret ser\ice agent of the Govern- mt-nt in, among other places, the French possessions on the Ked Sea. Accompanied, therefore, by our two Somali ser\ants, we left Aden late in the afternoonof the 25th November to pass the night at Sheikh Othman, whence the folloAving morning, the I'fith, on l)eing joined by our troopers and camels, we set out across the Tehamah. In the afternoon we reached Lahej, and put up at the Sultan s guest-house. Next morning to our dismay we discovered that small-pox was very prevalent in the town, and had carried off one of the Sultan's daughters the previous day. Considering the disastrous plight we should l)e in if any of us should be smitten with the disease, which might well happen exposed as we were to constant contact with servants from the palace, and the guards and comers and goers generally, we decided to move without delay away towards the mountains. The necessary airangements had hardly been completed, however, when Sultan's (it^EST House at Lahkj. a courier arriAed from Aden bringing a letter from Captain Jacob, with the welcome intelligence that the Resident had been authorised to arrange for our visit to Sokoti-a, and that the El/ihinsfaii'' was under orders to sail as soon as we returned. The 27th was spent in making arrangements for the journey l)ack, and on the evening of the 28th we were in our old quarters in Aden. The following morning on calling at the Residency, General Creagh gave us the gratifying news that by the arrangements he had made we should be able without further delay to proceed to Sokotra, where also he expected we should find no difficulties placed in our way. Staying with the General we found Lord Lovat and Mr. Weld-Blundell who had just arrived thus far NAKKATIVK OF THE .TOriiXKY. XXlll on their exploratory journey to Abyssinia and Khai'touni, which they carried through with such great success. The following two days were fully occupied in oui' final pi'eparations foi- eniliai'kation. In the selection and engagement of servants Grulaid Elmi, our interpreter, in whom we now conjoined the responsibilities of headman, ])ro\ed himself specially efficient, l)usiness-like and trustworthy. In addition to those already employed by us, we added a cook, an assistant cook and two gun cai-riers. In the discussion of terms neither the amount of the monthly wage noi' th(>- aiimn or present ad\;inee seemed to any of them half as important a consideration as the jjromise of a liberal Itukshish to lie settled at the end of the engagement if their service proved satisfactory. In addition to these, by General Ci-eagh's kind permission, the jemadar, Saleh Abdullah, who had attended us to Lahej, and a Sikh sowar of his troop, accompanied us as personal guard. Our party, therefore, numbered eleven, for eight of whom there had to be provided special rations uncontaminated by swine's lard or H(tlal-ed flesh, uncursed in the letting of its l)lood. In this matter Gulaid, who (having himself few sanctified prejudices) was reckoned by these men a true l)eliever, in possessing no l)igotry as to the Kattirism of his masters, could l)e trusted to satisfy both sides. So handing him the requisite sovereigns, I despatched him to the bazaar to provender the camp. He returned a few hours later with the detailed reckoning of the furniture of a kitchen — pots, kettles, and saucepans — and three months' supplies, among which ghi, chutney, onions, b'shrc or cotiee liean husks and dates figured largely, besides mttssuks, or goat-skin water liottles, lilankets, l)eads, Manchester cottons and trinkets for barter. The whole assortment was packed, paid foi-, and delivered by him at the wharf liefore midday with perfect accuracy, and at half the price we should have had to give at any of the large Parsee stores on Steamer Point. By the Resident we were furnished with an official letter to the Sultan of Sokotra, explaining the ol)ject of our visit and intimating what would be expected of him towards the Expedition. Mohammed Jaffier, the adviser in native affairs, in whose office the official Arabic transcript of the Resident's native letters is registered, was also good enough to hand me, as the result of personal amenities between us, a private letter to the Sultan, an old and intimate friend of his, which would secure for us favour and assistance even if strained relations should continue with the Government. He was obliging enough also to offer to select for me bukshish for the Sultan — that "unearned increment" which every Aral), high and low, looks for and loves more than gain — such as he knew would be appreciated by one passing s^o isolated a life as the Sokotran Governor, consisting of a vial of otto of roses — the pure, unadulterated (so rare to obtain) Persian oil —and various richly-patterned turbans in cloth of gold, for himself, with a large gaiish ormolu English-made circular mirror having a trio of carved candleholders projecting from it, intended for his harem. Finally, to complete our arrangements came our banker, Cowasjee, with the all-important treasury of the correct medium of exchange on Sokoti'a, as XXIV TI[E XATT'RAL HISTORY OF SOKOTRA AND AF.D-EI,-KrRI. we were assured, in the shape of about half a hundredweight of Maria Theresa doUars, the true .ll»i itokaf, or "Father of dots," shewing the orthodox seven stars on Her Majesty's tiara— all very sticky and highly odorous, tied up in a rough gunny bag for purse. Al)out hve o'clock on the afternoon of the 30th Noveml)er we enil)ai'ked on board the ElphinMiHw, whose genial commandei', C'ai)taiii Maeaithur, at once put to sea. II. Abd-el-Kuri. On clearing the harbour, a course was laid foi- Abd-el-Kuri, the western- niost member of the Sokotran archipelago, where we had the Resident's permission, if we should find the island interesting enough, to detain the EJphinstoiii' for a week before proceeding to Sokotra. At daylight of the 3rd December we descried this little visited island breaking our eastern horizon as a low Imr of laud with two (loul:)le-peake(l heights in the centre. As we approached from the west, steering for an anchorage on the southern and at that season the lee shore, the island resolved itself into a lower western and a higher eastern end. Coasting along we eagerly scanned its surface for some indication of its promise to a naturalist ; l)ut its general aspect from the sea was quite disappointing, for it appeared to be composed of absolutely bare rock, devoid even of a vestige of vegeta- tion and, notwithstanding the curious legends of the old na\igators and historians about its people, to be entirely uninhabited. The Elpliindone sloAvly felt her way to an anchorage in a little l)ay with a sandy beach about the middle of the south coast — the Bandar Saleh of the charts — at the only place where a break in the rocks occiu's. At first not a native showed himself, and not a sign of habitation was visil)le fi-om our deck. By the time, however, that we had finally come to anchor, at nine o'clock, a small groujD of spectators had gathered on the shore anxiously watching our operations. On landing we found them a rather timid, poor, and ill-nourished compan}^ They spoke l)oth Arabic and Sokotri, and we learned through our interpreter that they had no objections to offer to our going anj'where on the island we pleased ; Init no one seemed to have greater authority than another, and they referred to no superior. The men were tall, rich coppery brown in colour, while the children were consideral)ly darker ; Init there was no admixture of negro blood among those we encountered, such as Duarte Barbosa makes mention of among those he saw on the island. A rise of a few feet from the water's edge over a drifted sand-barrier facing the shore, brought us to the le\'el of a plateau or wide >,'atjvks ok Ahu kl-Kuri. strath which .stretched right across the island XAUKATIXK OK THE .lOl'lIXKY, Nativk ok Ai!i>-i';i,-Kri;i. from sea to sea, and separated the higher limestone-capped range on the east from the lower l)lack archa>an hills on the west. This strath, whieh had a low water parting rnnning athwart it, was floored with the detritus from the hills on hoth Hanks. Al)Out a mile to the noith-west, we could descry under and In'hiiid tlie slu'lter of the l(jw hills which concealed it from the sea, a- single small house-cluster, about which a few women and children were moving. Our collecting party, augmented to clcxcii hy a ])arty of oflicei's from the ElpliiiisfoiH', separated and skirmished over seNci'al miles of dry wady and I'oeky i'i