36 Rev. H. B. Tristram's Notes 



97. Caccabis heyii (Temm.), 



Of this rare bird, pci'haps one of the most elegant of its 

 group, I was fortunate enough to obtain a fine specimen. Riding 

 on a barren hill near the Dead Sea, we observed a pair of birds 

 scarcely larger than a quail running on the steep side with the 

 swiftness of a dog. After a long chase, and forcing them with 

 great difficulty to take wing, one of my companions, Mr. 

 Musters, succeeded in shooting the male bird, which he kindly 

 presented to me. We afterwards saw another pair near Mar Saba. 

 The whole plumage, with the orange bill and lemon-coloured 

 tarsi, is a singular blending of the characteristics of the types 

 of Caccabis and Perdix. 



98. CoTURNIX DACTYLISONANS. 



Extremely abundant wherever there is cultivation in the 

 plains. 



99. Otis tarda. 



I am told that this bird is sometimes brought into the market 

 at Jaffa from the Plain of Sharon. 



100. Otis tetrax. 



Not uncommon in the corn-fields on the plains. 



101. (Edicxemus crepitans. 

 Abundant in the plains. 



102. HOPLOPTERUS SPINOSUS. 



A pair observed on the banks of the Jordan. 



103. Grus cinerea. 



Saw a flock near Lydda, apparently on their migration. The 

 bird is well known to the inhabitants. 



104. CicoNiA alba. 



Several seen not far to the north of Jerusalem. 



105. CiCONIA NIGRA. 



I met with a flock of about two hundred Black Storks, appa- 

 rently searching foi- food in the barren salt plain close to the 

 north-west corner of the Dead Sea. They were too wary to 

 allow me to approach within shot, but did not fly far when dis- 

 turbed. As well as I could discover, they were feeding on the 



