7G Rev. II. B. Tristram un the (Jrniiholocjy of Palestine. 



But this digression on eggs in general is scarcely in place 

 among notes on the birds of Palestine. To proceed to the spe- 

 cies in detail. Of the Malurime, so abundantly represented in 

 the Ethiopian and Indian fauna, Palestine possesses but three 

 species, Dr-ymceca gracilis (Licht.), already described (Ibis, 1865, 

 p. 82), a second Drymceca, and Cisticula schcenicola, Bp. I can- 

 not find this second Drymceca described by Riippell or any other 

 author ; and as it is very distinct from any other species I have 

 seen, I venture to describe it as new. 



Drymceca eremita, Tristram. 



Suprk fuscescenti-cinerea, pileo, occipite et nucha nigro strio- 

 latis, superciliis pure albis, linea inter rictum et oculum 

 et ab oculo ad aurem nigra ; remigibus cinereis ; cauda 

 fuscescenti-nigra et obsolete transverse xxv. striis nigris 

 fasciata ; rectricis extinije pogonio exteriore et apice albo 

 lirabatis : subtiis alba, mento et pectore nigro striatis ; 

 hypochondriis et ventre castaneo tinctis; rostro et pedibus 

 pallide aurantiacis ; iridibus pallide fuscis. Long. tot. 4<'4<5, 

 alse 2"75, caudse 2'1, tarsi 0'75, rostri a rictu 0'5. 

 Hab. in deserto Judaico et Arabia Petrsea. 

 Its nearest congener seems to be Drymceca striaticeps, de- 

 scribed by me from the Sahara in ' The Ibis' for 1859 ( p. 58),from 

 which it may be at once distinguished by the broader dark striae 

 on the head and neck extending further down, by the distinct 

 white eyebrow, the throat and breast striated with black instead 

 of the dull uniform white of the African bird, and the deeper 

 russet of the flanks. We met with it only in the desolate wadys 

 opening on the west side of the Dead Sea, where it flitted rest- 

 lessly from one little desert shrub to another, differing iu this 

 respect from D. striaticeps, which I found in moist oases among 

 tamarisks. In its note and flight it differs much from D. gra- 

 cilis, and is very difficult of approach. We found one or two in 

 each wady, but never two together; and it inhabited ravines 

 where the Rock-Chats were the only other birds that could find 

 sustenance. So wild and wary was it, that the first specimen 

 observed, which we at once recognized as a species new to us, 

 cost Mr. Upcher and myself two hours' pursuit in the Wady 

 Areyeh, and eleven shots, before we secured it. We rarely could 

 get a glimpse of it, as it restlessly flitted about eighty yards 



