150 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



during the season of migration, and the birds are watched 

 while crossing the field of- vision. Tn this way on one 

 occasion, during three hours' observation, no less than 264 

 birds w^ere seen. Under proper focal conditions marked 

 characters of flight and form render it possible to recognize 

 even the species. Thus Ducks^ Snipes^ and Rails were dis- 

 tinguished with certainty. 



6. Festa on the Birds of Palestine and Syria. 



[Viaggio del Dr. E. Festa in Palestiua, uel Libano e regioui vicine. 

 Del Dott. Enrico Festa. Boll. Mus. Zool. ed Anat. Comp. R. Univ. d. 

 Torino. IX. No. 172 : Parte narrativa. No. 174: Uccelli.] 



We have read Dr. Festa's narrative of his zoological expe- 

 dition to Palestine and Syria in 1893 with great interest. 

 The author reached Jaffa on March 12th, and proceeded to 

 Jerusalem by road, whence his first excursion was to the 

 convent of Mar-Saba. In the orange-gardens of Jaffa the 

 Syrian Bulbul [Pycnonotus xanthopygiis) was abundant, and 

 Tristram's Grakle {Amydrus tristrami) delighted his eyes at 

 Mar-Saba. In the ravine below the convent he also met 

 with Cercomela melanura, and, strange to say, Turdus 

 nmsicus. 



Dr. Festa remained in the Dead Sea district and adjoining 

 country on both sides of the Jordan until the beginning of 

 May, when he returned to Jaffa, and proceeded by steamer 

 to Beyrout. His narrative contains many allusions to birds, 

 amongst which, besides those already mentioned, he met 

 with Cinnyj-is osece, Garrulus airicapillus, and Aryya squami- 

 ceps. From Beyrout Dr. Festa went into the Lebanon and 

 Anti-Lebanon and on to Damascus, whence he proceeded 

 into the Hauran and so back to Beyrout. A second excur- 

 sion to the Cedars and Baalbec was made in June and July. 



On the Lake of Tiberias, Ceryle rndis and Halcyon smyr- 

 nensis were both observed. Cypselus affinis was found nesting 

 in caverns near Ain-et-Tin. Otocorys penicillata and Serinus 

 canonicus occurred high up on Hermon and in the Lebanon. 

 The beautiful Erithacus gutturalis was rare, but was met with 

 on the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon. 



