on Birds observed in Southern Palestine. 29 



was the locality from its usual resorts here. Probably the birds 

 were just then returning from their southern migration. 



43. RUTICILLA TITHYS. 



Frequent on the barren rocky hills. 



44. Saxicola rubicola. 



Lower down the hills, among the low bushes. 



45. Saxicola rubetra. 



In the same localities as the preceding. 



46. Saxicola saltatrix, Menetries. 



On the bare rocky hills. In habits and locality exactly like 

 our Wheatear. 



47. Saxicola eurymel^na, Hempr. et Ehrenb. 

 Obtained in an olive-yard close to Bethlehem, where the bird 



is not uncommon. It is fond of perching on the top of a wall, 

 and drops down noiselessly as danger approaches, with a silent 

 flight skimming the ground till it rests again on a stone or clod 

 at some little distance, where it remains jerking its tail until 

 again disturbed. 



48. Saxicola* ? 



A pair shot at St. Helena's Well, not far east of Bethany. 

 They had a nest in a hole of the wall over the well, containing 

 four blue eggs thickly spotted with rusty brown. 



49. Dromol^a leucura. 



I saw this bird, as I believe, to the south-east of Bethlehem, 

 among the barren hills ; but as I have obtained in the Sahara 

 several specimens of a nearly allied species just described by 

 Brehm as Dromoleea leucopygia, and did not obtain a specimen 

 of the bird I saw in Palestine, the species must remain for the 

 present doubtful. 



50. Petrocincla saxatilis. 



Frequent in the deep gorges of the Kedron. 



* Mr. Tristram has submitted these specimens to my examination. The 

 species appears to agree with Saxicola lugens of Licht., as figured in Tem- 

 minck's Planches Coloriees, under the name Sax. leucomela. — Ed. 



