404 Canon H. B. Tristram's Ornithological 



Arrived in Palestine,, missions, antiquities, and topography 

 elbowed out ornithology; for, save in rare instances, to be 

 noticed hereafter, we saw none but old familiar forms. Some 

 few additions to our lists we made, for the most part of species 

 which it might be taken for granted were certain to be 

 found. 



Passing at once to the south, we found between Gaza and 

 Beersheba the Crane [Grus- cinerea) , faithful to the same 

 winter-quarters, and standing sentry on the same rocks on 

 which I met him twenty years ago, returning towards evening 

 in long wedge-shaped flocks, which, whooping and circling in 

 indignation over our heads, declined to settle until they 

 had watched and warned us at least a mile or two off their 

 premises. Their warning-note seemed well understood by 

 others ; for I never saw more gazelles, jackals, and foxes 

 started from unlikely coverts than these Cranes roused and 

 scared as they swooped, Lapwing-like, provokingly in front 

 of us. The Crane must be an early migrant, for I never 

 noticed one after February. 



It was not until the beginning of April that we noticed 

 the vernal northward migration to any extent, although from 

 the end of February seldom a day passed without our seeing 

 some additional species in small numbers wending its way to 

 the north. Hirundo rustica was to be seen occasionally every 

 day in February on the lower plains, chiefly near the sea. 

 The first Swifts [Cypselus apus) appeared over the heights of 

 Moab at Medeba on 27th February; but they were few. 

 Next the Alpine Swift (C. mdba) arrived in flocks over the 

 same plains. They were darting overhead till sunset. The 

 following day they had all disappeared, and I never saw one 

 again till we found them in their breeding-haunts further 

 north. On the 7th March arrived the main body of the Com- 

 mon Swifts, overspreading the whole district, and remaining 

 for nidification. They would seem to be nearly the most 

 abundant of all the birds of the land during the period of their 

 sojourn, and are content with meaner accommodation than 

 they claim in England. A low ruined wall or the chinks of an 

 old cistern are not despised by them. Emberiza casia over- 



