8 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 



throated warblers were hopping about the few 

 bushes at the edge, and ever and anon flitting 

 down to the ground and back again to the leafy 

 shelter. 



The question is asked and asked, but no very 

 distinct answer comes, why are the birds so tame 

 in Egypt ? I am at a loss to know myself, for the 

 land teems with foxes, jackals, kites, vultures, 

 eaffles, falcons, and hawks without end, all with 

 an eye to business, ever circling round ready to 

 devour any unprotected thing they can lay claws 

 upon, and yet this seemingly utter fearlessness 

 of all these mild-natured, defenceless little birds. 

 Further, here in Egypt are perhaps more " demon 

 boys " than are to be found elsewhere, and I hold 

 firmly with the ancient sage, who said " that of all 

 savage beasts the boy is the worst," so that the 

 tameness of some of Egypt's birds is one more 

 mystery of this land of mysteries. 



In the following pages I have almost entirely 

 spoken of the particular birds pictured in the 

 illustrations. I am quite prepared for the question, 

 however, " But why did you not include such and 

 such a bird ? " and my defence can only be the old 

 one of the difficulty of settling various person's 

 ideas of what should be considered the best 



