AVES. Ill 



236. Ardetta minuta. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 240.) Little Bittern. 



The Little Bittern is plentiful in the rushes and reeds round Lake 

 Huleh, and I have occasionally flushed it in swamps in other parts of 

 the country. It is probably far more numerous than it appears to be, 

 from its habit of skulking among the rushes and refusing to take wing 

 when disturbed. We found more nests than we saw birds. 



The Little Bittern is found throughout temperate and Southern Europe, 

 Northern Africa, and as far east as the Himalayas. 



237. Nycticorax grisciis. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 239.) The Night 

 Heron. 



The Night Heron is found in small numbers, never in flocks, about 

 Lake Huleh and Gennesaret. 



The Night Heron is found in Southern Europe, the whole of Africa, 

 Asia, even to Japan and the Philippines, and North America. 



238. Botaurus stcUaris. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 239.) The Bittern. 

 Heb., '\^'^_. 



Inhabits the marshes of Huleh, and probably other suitable localities. 

 The Bittern is found throughout Europe and Asia, except in the 

 extreme North, and throughout the whole of Africa. 



FAMILY, CICONIID^. 



239. Ciconia alba. Bechst. Nat. Deutschl. iii., p. 41. White Stork. 

 Heb., nn^Qp. Arab., ^, Laklak ; g^Ub, Balarcdj. 



The White Stork is, in Palestine, a regular, though for the most part a 

 passing, migrant. During the whole of April it covers the land, suddenly 

 appearing in the south, and moving northwards a few miles a day. Thus 

 we heard at Gennesaret that the country about Samaria was covered with 

 Storks, when we had not seen one. Two days afterwards they overspread 

 our neighbourhood ; not close together, but scattered over hill and valley, 

 plain and marsh alike, steadily quartering the ground about 100 yards 

 apart, picking up snakes, lizards, frogs, or fish, according to the locality, 

 and quite indifferent to the presence of man. A few pairs remain here 



