071 the Ornithology of Cyprus. 217 



XI. — Notes on the Ornitholuyy of Cyprus. 

 By F. R. S. Baxendale, M.B.O.U. 



As Mr. J. A. Buckuill, who contributed notes on the 

 local avifauna of Cyprus to this Journal from 1909 till 

 January 1913, has been transferred, on promotion, from 

 that island to Hong Kong, and since then to Singapore, 

 I have been asked to supply further notes on the same 

 subject ^. 



I propose to follow Mr. Bucknill's general lines in making 

 my notes. 



The autumn and winter of 1912 were normal, and the 

 winter visitors were not particularly numerous, but in the 

 following spring, the rains continued later than usual, 

 and the consequence was that the reservoir at Kouklia 

 and the fi'cshwater lake, both in the Famagusta District, 

 afforded suitable breeding-places for several varieties of 

 water-birds, and many migrants stayed longer than usual 

 owing to the abuiulant food-supply found in these siieets of 

 water. 



The same was the case again last spring, and we have been 

 able to add several novelties to our list of visitors, as well 

 as to obtain the eggs of others which hitherto had not 

 been definitely proved to have nested in the island. 



I think it highly probable that other birds whose nesting 

 has not yet been recorded laid their eggs in the vicinity of 

 the before-mentioned lakes ; although I am pretty certain 

 that some of the late-staying birds were non-breeding ones. 

 The undeveloped breeding-organs and non-nuptial plumage 

 of a number of specimens that I examined led me to this 

 conclusion. 



Unfortunately I did not have an opportunity of exploring 

 the reed-beds and islets of the Kouklia reservoir after the 

 31st of May. On that date I saw Little Bitterns, Glossy 

 Ibises, Ruffs and Reeves, besides the more common birds 

 generally found there at that time of the year. 



* For previous contributions on this subject see 'Ibis,' 1909, pp. 569- 

 613; 1910, pp. 1-47, 385-430 ; 1911, pp. 682-656; 1913, pp. 2-14. A 

 sketch-map of Cyprus will be found in ' Ibi.?,' 1913, pi. ii. 

 SER. X. AOL, III. Q 



