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



was the only one of my friends who saw it this time : he fell in 

 with a small flock near Hebron. Merops viridis, L., also occurs 

 but rarely. It was shot by Mr. Herschell on the banks of the 

 Jordan, but we were not so fortunate. Jerdon distinguishes the 

 Egyptian bird, Va^M. viridis of Rd])])., from the Indian M. viri- 

 dis of Linnaeus. If they are distinct, the Palestine bird must 

 be the Egyptian species. It is there very common, and, unlike 

 the Merojjs apiaster, is a permanent resident. Probably, had 

 not our explorations been rudely interrupted on the east side of 

 the Dead Sea, we should have found it in the Safieh. All three 

 species have a wide lateral range, but none of them appear to 

 extend into China. 



The only remaining group of the Fissirostral birds is that of 

 the Kingfishers, of which the Holy Land supplies us with three 

 species, all permanent residents. Of these, our own little gem, 

 Alcedo ispida, is scattered everywhere throughout the country 

 wherever there are streams, and also along the Mediterranean 

 coasts ; but it is nowhere very abundant, though evidently un- 

 affected by climate, fishing indifferently in the little torrents of 

 the Lebanon, among the ruined columns of Tyre, or in the 

 seething swamps of the Jordan valley. All three species resort 

 to the shores of the Dead Sea, attracted by the shoals of fishes 

 which are brought down by the freshwater streams and soon 

 stupified by the brine of the lake. One morning, on the western 

 side, Mr. Shepherd shot all three species within a few minutes of 

 each other. Generally, however, we met with A. ispida in more se- 

 cluded localities and on the banks of smaller streams than the 

 others, and even in ditches. In the Lebanon it is the only species. 



The Black-and-white Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis (Linnaeus), 

 is the commonest and most conspicuous species in the country. 

 We first saw it on the seashore in winter, when, in the months 

 of November and December, immense numbers resort to the 

 sea-coast. They were particularly abundant about Tyre and Sidon, 

 and all the way to Mount Carmel, fringing the shore, and ho- 

 vering by dozens over the sea about a hundred yards from land, 

 and occasionally perching with loud cries on an outlying rock. 

 At this time they were very wary, and cost us much trouble to 

 procure. During the most stormy gales of winter they con- 



