Bulletin 8 - July 1979: Editorial

Editorial

After some months of vacancies it is gratifying to announce a new Committee Member in John Nisbet. Although John will not be staying much longer in the UAE, he has behind him many years of experience in the Gulf. As an acknowledged expert on coins he is able to throw more than a little light on the archaeological researches of the Group. (see p. 23) May I extend the plea for others to follow John's example. We are always short of Committee Members and knowledge of natural history is certainly not a prerequisite. All we ask for is interest. Regretfully our plans for a 1980 ENHG Calendar, announced in Bulletin 7, have turned out to be short-lived. We were unable to find a sponsor in time to arrange proofs and printing for this coming Autumn. However, we have not given up hope and have set our sights on producing a Calendar for 1981.

Due to a variety of reasons the first Recorders Meeting, in May, was not a success, but it is hoped to reconvene after the summer vacation period. We feel that more active interest on the part of members can be generated by the Recorders, though we also appreciate the fact that the summer climate is not exactly conducive to field trips. But don't forget that even in Abu Dhabi there are cool early mornings.

In this issue of the Bulletin we are very fortunate to have Dr. Frauke Heard-Bey's article on the Bedouin Oases of Al-Liwa, originally published in Asian Affairs in 1972. For anyone who has visited the Liwa recently the changes are dramatic and will become increasingly so. Dr. Frauke Heard-Bey has managed to capture some of the flavor of the traditional way-of-life of the Liwa and at the same time to document some aspects that will surely disappear soon, as the Bedouin families increasingly settle into towns and villages provided by the Government. A departure from the usual content of the Bulletin is provided in the Diary Page (p. 30), in which odd items relevant to local natural history can be recorded. Members are invited to pass on any occasional sightings or unusual occurrence in the natural history world, but don't forget to record the date and local circumstances.