Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine. 71 



between a croak and a caw, loud and ringing. The sexes do not 

 diflfer in size. I subjoin the measurements — 



_ , , inches. inches. inches. inches. 



Total length 22- 24- 23- *19- 



Wing from car- I ,-. 



pal joint [ 1^ 17-5 16 15-25 



Length of tail 10- 10-5 9-75 6-5 



Beak from gape . . 2-75 3-125 2-75 2- 



Diameter of beak I , 



at base [ 1 1"25 MSo 1-125 



Circumference of o o-c i oo^- o o«ir 



beak at base..} ^-8/5 4- 3-3/0 2-375 



Length of tai-sus . . 2-5 2-625 2-375 2-25 



^To?^'"^"^*^"^^} 2-5 2-875 2-25 2-375 



While in Coitus corax the wing does not reach the end of the 

 tail by an inch or an inch and a half, in C umbrinus it equals 

 the tail, and in C. affinis exceeds it by an inch. In the last- 

 named species the secondary coverts are of an extraordinary 

 length. 



One evening in January we were encamped at the foot of the 

 ancient fortress of Masada, the modern Sebbeh, with a waterless, 

 lifeless wilderness of salt-hills stretching in labyrinthic confusion 

 for two miles to the sea. It was a scene of stern grandeur and 

 magnificent desolation, perhaps unequalled in the world. Yet 

 even here were birds. We had made a Lanner surrender the 

 remains of a Pochard he was conveying to the mountains from the 

 lake, when we observed three Ravens making towards us from 

 the sea. They were the only signs of life under that canopy of 

 wondrous brilliancy and depth. They too seemed startled and 

 surpi'ised when they descried our camp on that untrodden shore, 

 and, curiosity mastering caution, wheeled and wheeled again 

 over and over our heads. But long before they came near we 

 detected an unknown species. Two of them were unmistakeably 

 C. umbrinus ; the third was strangely different. Its flight was 

 very different ; it rather sailed than flew, and the motion of its 

 wings was scarcely perceptible. But more marked than all 

 was the contrast of its outline, as shown in the annexed 



* Or to end of wing 20 inches. 



