HABITS AND CUSTOMS. 77 gestible, and of ill flavour. The oock'ckah,* of two pounds and three quarters, does not cost more than twenty paras (twopence) ; and it is sold in the market-place of Lobeid without the bones. In the country, it is retailed at half this amount ; and the price of the piece bargained for is fixed, without weighing it, by judging by the eye alone. There is no deficiency of fowls, pigeons, and various species of gazelles ; these, however, are luxuries which are only to be met with in the houses of the wealthy, and on festive occasions. Every family dines at midday ; the men are first served ; and when they have finished their meal, the women and children sit down. A straw-mat is spread upon the sand, in the centre of which a wooden dish is placed, containing assida and woika ; while the necessary bread is served up on a flat straw-dish. Every one present in the hut, the family as well as strangers, for no invitation is required, sit down, with their legs bent under them, on the straw-mat round the dish ; and, on being invited by the master of the house with the word, Bishmillah (in the name of God) to help themselves, all plunge their hands at the same time into the dish. Each person now takes as much as he can hold in his five fingei-s, and conveys it to his mouth. The bread is generally eaten at the same • The oock'ckah is=400 dir'hems, is from S lb. 3 oz. ISJ dwt., to 3 lb. 4 oz. troy; or from 2 K). 11 oz. 8 dr. ISJ gr.,to about, or nearly 2 tt). 1 2 oz., or 2 lb. avoirdupois. Vide Lane's Modern Egyptians, Library of Entertaining Knotoledge, appendix, p. 578 Tr.