Bulletin 20 - July 1983: Editorial

Editorial

The recent establishment of a Dubai branch of the Emirates Natural History Group is very welcome news. Abu Dhabi Emirate is well served with a branch in each of the two main population centres and now, after years of attempts to foster interest in the Northern Emirates, Dubai has finally linked up. As with the Al Ain branch, Dubai is independent in the running of its own affairs, levying its own subscriptions, producing its own programme of talks and meetings and publishing its own newsletters. There will be an interchange of information and speakers among all three sub-groups as already happens on a regular basis between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The Dubai meetings are scheduled for the second and fourth Monday of each month. We in Abu Dhabi wish the Dubai group good luck in their venture; perhaps Ras al Khaimah or Fujeirah might like to follow suit?

Al Ain has provided us with two excellent talks so far this year. Chris Furley, Veterinarian at the Zoo, gave us a presentation on How Animals Adapt to a Desert Environment; and Dr. Walid AI Tikriti, Archaeological Adviser to the Department of Antiquities, on Fourth and Third Millennium Sites in the UAE. These talks were well attended and just go to show that well-planned and illustrated lectures on really local topics can be very popular. This Bulletin contains articles by both the above speakers.

The ENHG Workshops are also becoming more popular since their tentative beginnings in 1982. The drawing lessons given by Jenny Beckett and Carol Kemp were attended by a small but enthusiastic group, and the Fossil, Reptile and Archaeology Workshops also proved a success. Roger Brown, the Marine Recorder, will be running a series on Fish Identification with a preliminary Workshop on August 29th.

This Bulletin continues to present a variety of natural history topics and I am indebted to all the authors, especially first-timers. Writing on the subject of natural history is not a particularly easy task and deadlines are not everybody's cup of tea. However, may I make a plea for relevant articles from any members in the future. Long or short, descriptions of trips or short recordings are all welcome; any data in the Bulletin are then in a permanent form, unlike the newsletter which tends to be mislaid and easily forgotten.

I would finally like to thank Anwar Shoukry for volunteering to translate selected past Bulletin articles into Arabic. The Arabic article at the end (beginning) of each Bulletin is now an established feature, and though the response has been limited outside the Group, several members have indicated that the idea is well worthwhile and should be continued.