1 92 1.] Bi-eeding Birds of Ci'ete. 137 



tlie nest only about three times a day. I never saw the hen 

 bird at the nest in either case. 



Falco eleonorae Gene. 



One obtained. There are hirge colonies of these Falcons 

 on Dia and Paximadi IsLands north of C^andia, and I sin- 

 cerely trust no ravening oologist will abuse this information. 

 Occasional birds were also seen in olive gardens near the 

 coast, and flying high over (Jrete at dusk. 



Aqiiila chi't/sat'tos^ a Buteo, Gi/ps fulvus, and (jrijpa'eLos 

 harhatus were frequently seen but not obtained. Ardea 

 rinerea was often seen on the coast near Candia, and had 

 apparently bred on a small island^ where an empty nest and 

 full-grown young were seen. 



Botanrns stellaris was twice seen near C'andia in June, 

 and may have been breeding. 



Fhalarocorax carbo breeds in colonies on the small rocky 

 islands near Candia, where many empty nests were found in 

 late June, and about 30 young seen. 



Adults and full-grown young of Anas platyrliynclios were 

 seen on the Halmyros stream near Candia on 2 July. 



No examples of the above species were obtained. 



Columba livia palaBstinae Zedl. 



The Cretan Rock-Pigeon is referable to this race, being 

 much paler than Cohtmha I. liv/a on the upper parts and 

 slightly smaller. Two birds obtained have white lower backs, 

 and compare well with a large series from Palestine, Syria, 

 and, curiously enough, Solium in western Egypt. It would 

 therefore appear that C. I. pahestime occurs not only in 

 Palestine, Sinai, and Arabia, but in the eastern Mediter- 

 ranean, with the exception of the Egyptian Delta, where the 

 smaller C. I. schimperi occurs. 



The wings of my two Cretan birds measure 216 and 220 

 mm., both males. 



Rock-Pigeons were breeding commonly on all the islands 

 near Candia, on the coast, and in the hill caves of Mount 

 Ida. Let he who fancies himself at shooting try his hand 



