364 Mr. W. Raw on the [Ibis, 



130. Falco columljarms aesalon. Merlin. 



Not uncommon during the winter, arriving on the heels 

 of the autumn migration and remuinino- until March. 

 Examples obtained on 12 November, 1916, and 15 January, 

 1917. 



131. Falco vespertiuus vespertimis. Red-footed Falcon. 

 About the same number observed as of the preceding 



species and at about the same times. Examples shot on 

 19 and 22 October, 1916. 



132. Falco naumanni naumanni. Lesser Kestrel. 



I appear to have no record of meeting with this bird 

 during autumn or winter. It is very common during the 

 last week in March and early in April, at which season I 

 have observed quite fifty at a time flying round the Birket 

 Accrashi. 



133. Falco tinnunculus rupicolseforinis. Egyptian Kestrel. 



Common and resident. This species is very fond of build- 

 ing in holes in the sides of native houses. Old nests of the 

 Hooded Crow are also favoured as sites, and one pair nested 

 annually on the top of a palm-tree which had died and shed 

 its leaves. Another pair reared two broods in the cage at 

 the top of one of our wireless masts, 300 feet above the 

 ground. It lays from the end of March until the end of 

 May, from three to five being a clutch. Lizards and locusts 

 form a large part of their food in the breeding-season, and 

 I seldom observed them take birds. 



[My dates range from 30 March to 30 April. I took one 

 nest from No. 3 Signal Tower on the Suez road. My 

 largest clutch is four. — R. S.] 



[As compared with eggs of the Common Kestrel, those of 

 the Egyptian bird are decidedly small. The average of 

 fifty-five eggs collected by Mr. Raw and Colonel Sparrow is 

 35'8 X 30*2 mm., whereas British eggs average 39"7x31*7 

 mm.— F.C.R. J.] 



