Capt. G. E. Shelley on Egyptian Ornithology. 51 



trees which are interspersed with the houses of the Nubian village 

 of Wady-Halfeh. Mr. Smith, in his ' Attractions of the Nile/ 

 vol. ii. p. 222, gives a very good description of its habits, under 

 the title of Ixos ohscurus. Dr. A. L. Adams (Ibis, 1864, p. 20) 

 mentions Wady-Halfeh as probably its most northern limit on 

 the Nile ; this conclusion I think is hasty, as it is abundant there 

 in winter ; yet I know of no instance of its having been killed in 

 other parts of Nubia or in Egypt. 



60. Crateropus acacia, Riipp. Bush Babbler. 



This bird is well named ; for it appeal's to keep exclusively to 

 the thickest Acacia bushes, among the thorny and tangled boughs, 

 over which it creeps, while it keeps up an incessant babbling cry, 

 which is rather pleasing, and when once heard cannot be mis- 

 taken for the note of any other bird. I met with it on both my 

 visits to the island immediately below the rapids of the first 

 Cataract, and saw a flock of four of these birds in Nubia. 



In the beginning of April I found two nests, probably of this 

 bird, on the island immediately below the first Cataract. In con- 

 struction and size they closely resembled the nest of our Common 

 Blackbird, They were almost entirely built of a coarse grass 

 which grows abundantly in Egypt — and were on each occasion 

 placed in thick Acacia bushes, about 5 or 6 feet fx'om the ground. 

 There were no eggs in either nest. 



61. Oriolus galbula, L. Golden Oriole. 



The Golden Oriole arrives in Egypt about the 20th of April, 

 but does not remain there to breed. I shot my first specimen 

 out of a flock of six at Edfoo on the 21st of April, and after 

 that met with them daily among the thicker-foliaged trees. 



62. Saxicola cenanthe (L.). Common Wheatear. 



This well-known Chat does not remain in Egypt during the 

 winter. It appeared to me to be the most abundant and widely 

 distributed Chat of any, being equally at home in Nubia and on 

 the shores of the Meditei'ranean. 



63. Saxicola saltatrix, Menetr. M^uetries Wheatear. 

 Abundant throughout Egypt. It has frequently been mistaken 



for the female S. cenanthe, from its plumage being somewhat 



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