SIX MONTHS' 

 BIRD COLLECTING IN EGYPT. 



CHAPTER I. 



On the 7th of January, 1875, at the first streak of break- 

 ing day, the shores of the great land of the Pharaohs and 

 the Pyramids became dimly visible to a small knot of 

 expectant gazers standing on the after-deck of the good 

 S.S. Hindostan, one of the finest boats, after the Australia, 

 belonging to the P. and O. Steam and Navigation Co, 



The Herring Gulls of the Mediterranean in their unsullied 

 purity had been our constant companions. For four whole 

 days a flock of them had followed in our wake, nor do I 

 suppose it was because they were hard up. Theirs was no 

 slender chance of daily bread, for in fact a great deal of 

 broken victuals were constantly being thrown overboard ; 

 besides, with what unctuous rapture the grease from the 

 engines of a steamer is gobbled up by your hungry Gull ! 



I had never been in Egypt, and as the day broke I could 

 not enough admire the panorama stretched out before me. 

 To the right lay the suburb of Ramleh, and the Viceroy's 

 Summer Palace. To the left the lighthouse and a frowning 

 fort, which seemed to keep the peace between the " old 



