Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine. 291 



summer. A few remain to breed in Galilee, where, in the hills, 

 we took the nest. 



M. lugubris, Temm., was obtained by the late Mr. Herschell 

 in winter; but we did not m eet with it on this expedition, though 

 very diligent in our search. It certainly, however, must be 

 included among the birds of Palestine, as I carefully compared 

 my Egyptian specimens with Mr. HerschelPs (Ibis, 1862, p. 279) 

 and found them identical. There has been hopeless confusion in 

 this group, owing to want of comparison of specimens, and to 

 the interchange of the names M. lugens and M. lugubris by Tem- 

 minck and Schlegel. M. lugubris seu lugens, T. & S. (Faun. 

 Japon.), is identical with M. japonica, Swinh. (Ibis, 1863, 

 p. 309, note), and may at once be recognized by the primaries 

 and a great part of the secondaries being pure white almost to 

 the end. In this respect it differs from all other species. M. 

 lugubris, Temm., of the occurrence of which in eastern Asia we 

 have no evidence, has the primaries white for only one-third of 

 their length from their bases, and the secondaries edged with 

 white. It appears rare in collections, and I have only my own 

 two specimens at present to refer to ; but in no way can it possibly 

 be mistaken for a variety of M. alba. I am, however, surprised to 

 find it identical in the minutest particulars with one of Dr. Kirk's 

 specimens in my possession, from Zambesia (Ibis, 186i, p. 318) 

 and labelled " M. vidua, Sund." I think here we have the diffi- 

 culty explained. The true M. lugubris [■= M . vidua) is an African 

 form, only occasionally penetrating to the north, probably by 

 the shores of the Red Sea, and so from time to time found on 

 the Mediterranean. Mr. Swinhoe's notes {ut supr. cit.) are 

 careful and accurate, but I cannot agree with him in throwing 

 any doubt on the decided specific distinctness of all these birds. 



Cinclus aquaticus, Bechst., can only claim a place in the 

 Palestine list from its occurrence in the mountain-torrents in the 

 recesses of the Lebanon. In the Nahr el Kelb, Nahr Ibrahim 

 (Adonis), and Ain Fijeh it is not uncommon. The plumage 

 slightly varies from that of British specimens. The white 

 extends lower down the breast, the abdomen is not of so deep a 

 chestnut, and the vent-coverts are tipped with whitish. The 

 back of the head and the shoulders have a more rufous tint than 



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