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Show 810 MR. A. B. PEASE ON THE [Nov. 17, bear this in mind in making enquiries. The Arabs, however, use the word " Meha " exclusively for the Addax, though probably the general run of natives are unacquainted with this name. Tbe Addax (Addax naso-maculatus), called by the French " Antilope du Sud," by the Arabs " Begra el Ouash " or " Meha," and by the Touaregs " Tamlta " (or Tameeta), has been so often described that I will not attempt any description of it myself, but simply give such information as to its habitat and habits as I have been able to gather whilst travelling in the Sahara and residing at Biskra. I do not know of any good complete specimen in any museum, nor have I been able to obtain one myself, though, along with Sir Edmund Loder, I made one good bid to reach the confines of those countries where it is to be found in great numbers. In February 1895, furnished with all the information I could obtain from M . Foureau and natives familiar with the Erg, we started from Biskra to reach the country between El Oued Souf and Rhadamis. After a week's journey across the desert by way of the great Chotts we reached the Oued Souf. At El Oued, the last outpost of the French in the direction of Rhadamis, wre were stopped till Capi-taine de Prandiere obtained instructions from the General of Division permitting us to go on. After a detention, made pleasant by the great kindness and hospitality of the three French officers in command of the native garrison, w e had the disappointment of being told that we could not be allowed to proceed southwards. At the time we thought this very hard, for though we were aware that the Touaregs had lately raided the Chambas as near as Mey, we felt that a flying visit to the country east of Bir Beresof would be without danger, as we could be in and out again before our presence was discovered. But a few months later M . Foureau and a strong force were driven back from the south, though he had reached a point far beyond our proposed destination, and I think our hosts were entirely justified in their refusal. Our plan had beeu to reach Bir Beresof, and then to strike east for Bir Aoueen, where we should in all probability have come up with the Addax, which visits this district in large quantities in favourable years. The Addax country is the Erg, the great region of sand-dunes covered more or less thickly with vegetation according to situation and rains. This sand-dune country covers hundreds-it may be said thousands-of miles and the Addax follows the rains. In certain districts it is not uncommon for rain not to fall for several years in succession. In one year the Addax are only found far south of Rhadamis and A'in Ta'iba (S. of Ouargla), in other years they follow the rain as far north as the southern borders ot the Chott Djereed in the east and the neighbourhood of Ain Ta'iba in the west. Without the help of the French and a good escort of Chambas it would be vain to attempt to reach the Rhadamis country by way of Bir Beresof; and the wells being sometimes nine days apart, it is a difficult route to follow. I beard when at Touzer that a M . Cornex had obtained a |