SIX months' bird collecting in EGYPT. 149 



' 36. Little Green Beeeater, Merops viridis, Linn. 

 (Hasselquist, 20, Corviis ccgyptins) ;* " Huader." 



Two days after leaving Cairo we fell in with this exquisite 

 bird, the most tropical form we had seen ; and it continued 

 very common as far as Assouan. The central tail feathers 

 in the best one I brought home extend three inches beyond 

 the others. 



37. Black and White Kingfisher, Ce;y/e mdis (Linn.). 

 (Hasselquist, 22) ; " Tayr betaa es samak." 



I should say this well-marked resident was infinitely 

 commoner below Cairo than above it, though others may 

 not have found it so, but it was commonest of all at the 

 Faioum. There were several pairs always to be seen within 

 a few hundred yards of our camp, and I spent hours watch- 

 ing them. It is not necessary to re-describe the process of 

 fishing, but I may mention that they were much more 

 successful there than I ever saw them on the Nile. At 

 Benhouk a Hooded Crow was seen to knock one into the 

 river more than once. Nobody would think their feet 

 adapted for a wire, but they sometimes use those of the 

 telegraph as a perch. I have also seen one perch upon a 

 tree^ On the 13th of April, Mr. Russell observed one chase 

 a bat, probably in play. 



38. Kingfisher, Alcedo ispida, Linn. 



The English Kingfisher was often to be seen in the Delta 

 in January and February, but I doubt if it remains there 

 durino- the summer. Sometimes one would be perched on 



» Hemprich and Ehrenberg refer Corvus CBgyptius to the Common 

 Kingfisher. 



