240 Mr. S. S. Allen on the Birds of Egypt and Nubia. 



country in spring, and is highly esteemed by the French, 

 Maltese, and Levantine sportsmen, who distinguish them from 

 the resident spoeies by the name of "Tortorelli di l*asso." 



Fteroclks EXrSTlS. 



Ptehocles coronatus (Licht.). 



Pterocles cu'ttatus (Licht.). 



The tirst of these Sand-Grouse is abundant both in Upper 

 and Lower Egypt, and often found in very large tlocks, the other 

 two species being less common. I shot a pair ( c? and $ ) of 

 P. coroJiatus at El Kab, out of a small flock which came down to 

 drink at one of the pools. Their cry was rather hoarser than 

 the ''shrill guttural croak" of the commoner species, which it 

 nevertheless much resembled. Though generally shy, the Sand- 

 Grouse (P. crustu^) will sometinu's lie very close, and, until 

 acquainted with their habits, it is almost impossible to distin- 

 guish them, even when lying on the bare surface of the ground. 

 AVhat you take for half-a-dozcn stones suddenly start into life, 

 and tly off with anuizing rapidity. 



I think Dr. Leith Adams must have been misinformed when 

 he says that P. twusfus breeds in June, as I obtained two eggs, 

 and the live female bird, which had been caught on them, in 

 April last year. 



HOPLOPTERUS SPINOSUS. 



Most Nile travellers who have paid attention to the subject 

 will agree with Dr. Aduuis in thinking that the " Zic-zac" proper 

 has bettor claims to the honour of being the " Trochilos " of 

 Herodotus than Pluvianus (pgyptim. I cannot say that I ever 

 heard the additional legend he gives as current amongst the 

 Nile boatmen. The bird is known among Europeans as " Spy " 

 and " Espion " from its wary habits, and " Dominicain " from 

 its black-and-white plumage. 



Ibis rbligiosa. 



I have not been more successful than Dr. Adams ui finding 

 any evidence of the presence of this bird in Egypt, though 1 

 have heard of Ibis falcinellus. 



