Africa . t northernpines, are characteristic of this zone, and along all theriver banks the bamboo cane is observed. The terebinth,vine, range and citron, peach and apricot, also the soil is capable of cultivation, or yieldsrich pasture, and all the domestic animals of Europe,except swine, are known. The Degas, a third or highest belt, between 9000 and14,000 feet, has an average temperature of 45° to 50° E.,and not unfrequently at the greater elevations the thermo-meter falls to below the freezing-point. The Degas are,generally speaking, the higher plains and mountain slope
Africa . t northernpines, are characteristic of this zone, and along all theriver banks the bamboo cane is observed. The terebinth,vine, range and citron, peach and apricot, also the soil is capable of cultivation, or yieldsrich pasture, and all the domestic animals of Europe,except swine, are known. The Degas, a third or highest belt, between 9000 and14,000 feet, has an average temperature of 45° to 50° E.,and not unfrequently at the greater elevations the thermo-meter falls to below the freezing-point. The Degas are,generally speaking, the higher plains and mountain slopes, ABYSSINIA. 257 with little wood and generally meagre vegetation. Thehardier corn plants alone can be cultivated, and the nativesappear clad in skins. Herds of oxen, goats, and long-woolledsheep, however, are pastured on the highest plateaux. The low-lying tracts along the eastern edge of Abys-sinia, where it descends to the deserts of the Danakilcountry, are everywhere overgrown with light shrubs and. THE SYCAMORE. bushes, clumps of larger trees, especially of the sycamore,growing only about the deeper ravines watered by runningstreams. Even in the vicinity of some waterless river-beds, however, we meet with baobabs of a medium size,and here and there an occasional gigantic sycamore. Incontrast to this the hot valley of the foaming Takazze, inthe western descent, is well wooded with large timber. On the lower belts the rainy season lasts from Aprilto September ; on the plateau, though the Azmera, or timeof the intermittent rains, begins simultaneously with therainy period of the lower zone, the rains proper begin on^y S 258 COMPEXDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL. in July, lasting till October. More to southward thereare two rauiy periods—the earlier ia January or February,the later from June to September. Hail and thunderaccompany the rains ui the higher regions of the plateau,and in whiter the brooks of the Degas are covered withice, and snow lies on the higher summits. Eas
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