Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine. 289 



blotches, Tlie nests are very compact and neat, deeper than 

 those of any other Lark, and generally imbedded in a tuft of 

 Astragalus or Draha, finely lined with grass roots. This species 

 does not assume a yellowish face in the breeding-season, but has 

 the throat pure white. It may at once be distinguished from 

 every other by the great extent of the black on its breast. Mr. 

 Swinhoe's Tientsin specimen I find from comparison to be the 

 true O. alpestris, and not this species, to which he referred it. 



Widely differing in its habitat is the last of the Palestine 

 Alaudince, Certhilauda desei'torum (Stanley), a scarce bird in the 

 southern deserts. Its habits have already been very fully 

 described by me (Ibis, 1859, p. 427). We saw it several times, 

 but obtained only a single specimen. Otoconjs bilopha, Temm., 

 found by me in the Sahara, is described by Ehrenberg from 

 Arabia Petrjea, but did not come under our observation. 



On the Pipits there is little to remark. Pive species ai'e 

 included in our collection. Of these the most abundant was 

 Anthus campestris, Bechst., found all over the cultivated coast 

 and hill districts, but not in the Jordan valley. It is a perma- 

 nent resident, and we obtained several nests on the ground on 

 bare hills in April. It is one of the tamest of birds, and par- 

 ticularly affects the mule-paths, flitting along in front of the 

 traveller and keeping unconcernedly a few yards ahead. In 

 winter a few of them may generally be seen consorting with the 

 more nxxvatvons Galerita mstata (L.). Anthus spinoletta (L.) we 

 shot but once, in the marshes of the Huleh in spring, but saw it 

 several times in winter near Jericho, where I took a nest of six 

 eggs in April, which I can refer only to this bird, though, unfor- 

 tunately, I did not identify them. I also possess a specimen shot 

 at Wady Feiran near Mount Sinai in March, a most unlikely 

 locality. It is, however, well-known as an Egyptian bird. The 

 specimens exactly correspond with one I shot on the east coast 

 of Ireland. 



Anthus pratensis, L., occurs in small numbers throughout the 

 winter everywhere, and a few pairs were found by us in favour- 

 able localities up to midsummer. A specimen shot at Jericho 

 on new year's day is so peculiar in its coloration that it might 

 well pass for another species. It is without the dark spots on 



N. S, VOL. II. u 



