Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 2.djvu/47

 FLORA AND FAUNA— INHABITANTS. 81 But it may be presumed that the highlands lying to the south of the plateau are sufficiently elevated to intercept the moistune-bcaring clouds. All the oases, except perhaps that of Sirhen (Zighen), situated in the north-east of the district, have in the centre either a lake, or at least a marshy sebkha, where is collected the overflow of the surface waters. Lake Buseima, in the oasis of like name, even presents from a distance the appearance of a highland lacustrine basin. Commande<l by the crested escarpments of the surrounding cliffs, and reflecting in its blue waters an isolated crag of pyramidal form, it winds through the palm groves for a distance of about G miles. The saline efflorescences around its shores, where the columns of air whirl in incessant eddies, resemble the foamy crests of the waves breaking on the beach. Near the margin of all the lakes and saline marshes wells may be sunk which yield fresh water, and the soil is everywhere clothed with an arborescent and grassy vegetation at least sufficient to afford pasturage for the camels. Flora and Faixa. Although distinguished from most other groups of oases in the desert by the wealth of their vegetation, those of Kufra present but a limited number of forms- A single species, such as the alfa, the tamarisk, acacia, or talka, covers extensive tracts, stretching for many square miles beyond the horizon. Rohlf 's explorations, interrupted, however, too suddenly to have yielded all the results that might have been expected, discovered only thirty-nine species, of which twenty-six were cultivated plants. One of the characteristic features of the flora of Kufra is the multitude of wild figs, which form dense thickets infested by countless snakes. These reptiles, which are not poisonous, have the habit of coiling round the branches of fig and date trees, and watching with head erect for the little birds coming to perch within their reach. But they are preyed upon in turn by other birds, which appear to be specially characteristic of the avifauna of Kufra. ■ On the marshy tracts wild duck and geese swarm in myriads ; a few storks are also seen in the neighbourhood of the waters, and the oases arc visited by flocks of migrating swallows. Gazelles are rare, except in the Erbehna oasis, towards the south-west of the group ; but multitudes of little rodents are met, as well as certain species of lizards, spiders, and termites. As in the Aujila district, snails are nowhere to be seen in Kufra. Inhabitants. The term Kufra, derived from Kafir, is explained to mean " Land of the Un- believer." At the same time, it no longer deserves the title since the first half of the eighteenth century, when the pagan Tibbus were expelled by the Mohammedan Zwiyas. This tribe reached the Kufra territory mostly from the Leshkerreh oasis, and still maintain friendly relations with their fellow-countrjnncn of the Aujila group. The Tibbus at present seen in the countrj' are barely tolerated, and would api)ear to be found only in the southern oasis, where they form a distinct community,