14 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



fishers were our constant companions, and the 

 muddy waters of the Nile did not prevent 

 them enjoying some excellent sport ; Egyptian, 

 Chimney- and grey Crag-Swallows were 

 fairly plentiful ; Wagtails, almost as common 

 as sparrows, would always come on board 

 if crumbs were thrown down for them. At 

 Baliana, Hoopoes were seen constantly flitting 

 backwards and forwards across the paths, often 

 uttering their deep, flute-like " hoop-poop." 

 Here, too, were first noticed the Buff-backed 

 Heron, the so-called " Sacred Ibis " of to-day, 

 which is unmolested by the Egyptians, and is 

 consequently quite tame. Other birds which we 

 came across were Crested Larks, the Marsh 

 Sandpiper, the charming black-and-white Spur- 

 winged Plover, and small Warblers, difficult to 

 distinguish, of which we noticed the Marsh- 

 Warbler, and the beautiful Blue-throated 

 Warbler. Possibly the most brilliant birds 

 were the little green Bee-eaters, with their won- 

 derful iridescent plumage, and the well-known 

 European Kingfisher. South of Aswan but 

 few birds of any sort were met with. On the 

 parapet of the Great Dam the White-winged 

 Wagtail was twice seen — it is said to be peculiar 

 to the immediate neighbourhood of the Aswan 

 dam — and excepting for the Nubian Chat, 

 Desert and Hooded Chats, a few Egyptian 

 Geese, and a couple of Cormorants fishing near 

 the rapids of the Second Cataract, no other 

 species were observed between Aswan and 

 Wady-Halfa. 



On the return journey the Lesser Stint, 

 Curlew, Yellow Wagtail, and black-tailed Godwit 

 were added to the list ; the last two species 

 were seen on the ride from Bedraschein to 

 Sakkara. The lower reaches of the river were 

 packed with countless Ducks and Geese towards 

 the end of January, and it was a sight not soon 

 to be forgotten to see these hundreds and 

 hundreds of birds rise in alarm at our noisy 

 approach and wheel in the air, their underwings 

 flashing in the sunlight as they sped away into 

 the distance and became mere specks. 



It will perhaps not be out of place to mention 

 the very interesting native industry in connection 

 with chicken incubation which is carried on in 



the village of Kirdassieh, a few miles from the 

 Gizeh Pyramids. A large number of chickens 

 are hatched by means of sand heated by the 

 direct rays of the sun reflected on to it. 

 The eggs are kept in little alcoves in a mud hut 

 specially built for the purpose, about 600 

 eggs being in each alcove. During the winter 

 nights straw has to be burnt underneath to 

 keep the temperature even, otherwise the heating 

 is all natural. The natives of the surrounding 

 district bring in their eggs to be hatched, and . 

 receive a certain percentage of chickens back 

 in return. This industry is said to have been 

 in the hands of one family, and handed down 

 from father to son, from the times of the Ancient 

 Egyptians. 



Lastly, a visit to the Gizeh Zoological Gardens, 

 near Cairo, ought not to be omitted by travellers, 

 for whether they are interested in birds or 

 not, they cannot fail to be charmed by the 

 delightful way in which the gardens are laid 

 out. There one can see numerous birds from 

 the Lower Soudan, and other parts of Africa, 

 many of them having very beautiful and often 

 brilliant plumage. 



COUNCIL MEETING. 



The quarterly Council meeting of the Royal 

 Society for the Protection of Birds was held on 

 April 20th, 1906, when there were present : Sir 

 John Cockburn, in the chair ; Mr. Ernest Bell, 

 Mr. Dresser, Hon. Alfred Dobson, Mr. Hudson, 

 Mrs. Lemon, Miss Pollock, Mr. Howard Saunders, 

 the Hon. Secretary, and the Secretary. It was 

 agreed that a letter of thanks should be sent to the 

 Duchess of Portland, thanking her for her help 

 in presenting the Society's Memorial to Queen 

 Alexandra, and a letter of condolence to Miss 

 Tristram on the death of Canon Tristram, a Vice- 

 President of the Society. 



The Hon. Secretary's report stated that the 

 Society's slides had been requisitioned for the 

 illustration of forty-seven lectures since January 

 20th, and it was decided that a circular should in 

 future accompany slides lent, pointing out the 

 necessity for their prompt return, or making a 

 definite charge per day for detention. The entries 

 for the Bird and Tree (Arbor) Challenge Shield 

 Competitions from the seven counties invited to 

 compete were reported ; also several new County 



