Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine. 63 



(Samaria), at Nablous, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron — its 

 extreme southern limit, for south of this are neither woods nor 

 oliveyards. It is most numerous at Kuryet el Enab (Kirjath 

 Jearim), between Jerusalem and JaflFa, in the oliveyards of 

 which it positively swarms. On the east side of Jordan it 

 enlivens with its ringing chatter every forest-glade in Gilead, as 

 well as the old olive-woods of Southern Bashan, and is one of 

 the most abundant and conspicuous inhabitants of the country. 

 We did not, however, observe it in the pine-forests of Ajlun, 

 nor does it appear to straggle into the more open country 

 south of the Jabbok. It is on both sides of Jordan entirely 

 confined to the Hill country or Highlands, and never descends 

 into the sultry Ghor or Jordan valley. Never once did we see 

 or hear of it there, from the Waters of Merom in the north to 

 the south end of the Dead Sea. There are woods and thickets 

 which would seem well suited to its habits, but it shuns those 

 seething hollows ; and though Dean Stanley peoples Gennesareth 

 with " Jays of brilliant plumage in unusual numbers over the 

 entire plain," he evidently, like the French sportsmen of Algeria, 

 mistook the Roller — " Geai d'Afrique," or perhaps the Smyrna 

 Kingfisher, for the Jay, which we can aver is never found near 

 the Sea of Galilee. 



Less persecuted than its British congener, it is not quite so 

 shy, but resembles it precisely in voice, flight, and all its habits. 

 It usually congregates in flocks of six or eight. About the 

 environs of Jerusalem it is especially familiar. I rarely carried 

 a gun at Jerusalem ; but one wet day I had ridden up from 

 Jericho, tmd arrived just after the gates had been closed for the 

 hour of noonday prayer. Sitting on my horse, in the soaking 

 rain, outside the Damascus gate, some Jays came unconcernedly 

 to feed among the refuse close to me. The opportunity was 

 irresistible, and I secured two on the spot. 



The Jay is an early breeder ; but we were occupied at Jericho 

 during its season of nidification, and there it is not found. WTien 

 we moved north, in April, the young were all hatched, and one 

 nest of four eggs in an oliveyard close to Jerusalem was all we 

 obtained. The eggs are exactly like those of G. glandarius, 

 though my specimens are small, and rather rounder and shorter 



