On Birds from the Dead Sea and Arabia. 17.") 



16. Nycticorax griseus Linn. 

 Samarkand. 7 June, 1908. 



17. Botauris stellaris Linn. 

 Samarkand. 19 Dec, 1907. 



18. Ciconia alba Bechst. 



This is a summer migrant to the Zarafschan Valley, where 

 it breeds in May, building in the trees and on the minarets 

 and domes of the mosques. 



19. ToTANUS CALIDRIS Lillll. 



Samarkand. 10 Oct., 1907, and 7 June, 1908. 



20. Gallinago cqslestis (Frenzel). 

 Samarkand. 25 Oct., 1907. 



21. Otis tarda Linn. 



Bokhara. 7 Nov., 1907. A winter migrant. 



22. COTURNIX COMMUNIS Boilll. 



A very common summer visitor, but occasionally met with 

 also in winter. The birds are captured in great quantities 

 b) the natives, and used for fighting purposes. 



XXI. — On a Collection of Birds from the Dead Sea and 

 North-western Arabia, with Contributions to the Ornithology 

 of Syria and Palestine. By Douglas Carruthers, 

 F.R.G.S., M.B.O.U. 



(Plate IX. and Text-figure 5.) 



During the journeys which I made in the early part of 1909 

 to the Dead Sea, the uplands of Moab, and the deserts of 

 IS orth- western Arabia, I formed a small collection of birds, 

 and made a certain number of notes on the ornithology of 

 these little-known countries. Scarcely any work has been 

 done in these districts since Tristram's day, and the range 

 of his explorations extended no further than the Land of 

 Moab. Indeed, I cannot find that any ornithologist has 

 penetrated into the country lying to the south-east, towards 

 the Hedjaz provinces of Arabia. 



