360 Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine. 



Of the genera to which these pecuHar species belong, one, 

 Tinnunculus, is cosmopoHtan, and a second, Turtur, widely 

 distributed in the Old World. Four, Palaornis, Nectarinia, 

 Zosterops, and Tchitrea, are well represented on the African 

 and Indian continents, not to go further, as well as in the 

 Mascarene Islands or Madagascar. Copsychus and Hypsipetes 

 occur in India and Madagascar, but not in Africa. Foudia is 

 found in Africa, Madagascar, and the Mascarene Islands, but not 

 in India, while Coracopsis is a genus hitherto thought to be con- 

 fined to M; dagascar and the Comoros. Erythrmna is the only 

 form peculiar to the Seychelles ; but I am much inclined to doubt 

 its claim to generic rank, though not to the extent of Prof. 

 Schlegel (N. T. D. iii. p. 88), who would refer it to Ptilopus ; and 

 I should place its only repesentative with Columba madagas- 

 cariensis, Linn., and C. nitidissima^ Scop., in the genus Alec- 

 trcenas, which Mr. G. R. Gray established to receive the last- 

 named species. In this aspect, then, Alectrcenas will range 

 with Coracopsis. 



These few remarks will serve to show the natural affinities of 

 the Ornis of the Seychelles. Its Malagash tendency is evident ; 

 for it contains, so far as known, no good genus which is not 

 also found either in Madagascar or the Mascarene Islands. 

 But I forbear from entering into any speculations as to its 

 derivation, in confidence that future investigators will throw 

 more light on this interesting subject. 



XX. — On the Ornithology of Palestine. 



Part VI. 



By the Rev. H. B. Tristram, M.A., F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. 



(Plate VII.) 



(Coutinued from p. 97.) 



The family of the Muscicapidce is barely represented in Pales- 

 tine, scantily in species, and no less spax'sely in individuals. 

 Even the well-known East-European species, Muscicapa collaris, 

 Bechs., and Erythrosterna parva (Bechs.), escaped our notice, 



