On the Avifauna of the Sinai Desert ^c, 107 



bred in the same spot, laying three eggs, which Mr. Boden- 

 stein has brought me, and which are precisely similar to those 

 previously obtained. 



[Conf antea, p. 286.— J. H. G.] 



186. Rallus ciERULEscENs, Gmcl. CaflPre Rail, 

 This Rail is common in Trans-Vaal. 



187. Ortygometra pygm^ea, Naum. Baillon's Crake. 

 One occasionally puts up this Crake whilst Snipe-shooting ; 



but it is not common. 



152. Gallinula chloropus, Linn. European Waterhen. 

 This species frequents the reedy banks of the Movi river, 

 but is not plentiful. 



XIV. — Notes on the Avifauna of the Desert of Sinai and of the 

 Holy Land. Part I. By Alexander W. M. Clark Ken- 

 nedy, F.R.G.S., F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c., Coldstream Guards. 



I FEEL that some apology is due to the readers of ' The Ibis ' 

 for troubling them with the following rough notes, — first, 

 because I fear there will be little value in them, as I was un- 

 fortunately obliged to hurry through my journey owing to 

 the lateness of the season, and therefore had but small time 

 to make observations on the ornithology of the countries 

 through which I passed ; and secondly, because the subject 

 has been treated in an exhaustive manner in these pages by 

 far abler pens than mine, and by far more accurate observers 

 and better ornithologists. Among these I need hardly refer 

 to the Rev. H. B. Tristram and Mr. C. W. Wyatt. My sole 

 reason for offering them to my brother ornithologists is from 

 my conviction that there is always some value to be set on 

 original observations; and I can only add that these notes 

 were made upon the spot, so that they may be relied upon 

 as authentic. 



Leaving London on the last day of the year 1869, in com- 

 panionship with Mr. Trench Gascoigne, of the Royal Horse 

 Guards (Blues) , I arrived after a very rough passage through 

 the Bay of Biscay, with a lovely run over the blue Mediter- 



