366 Mr. W. Raw on the [Ibis, 



138. Circus macrourus. Pallid Harrier. 



Frequently observed beating the fields and swamps. 

 Several were obtained, one of: which, shot on 4 April, 1918, 

 had its hind claw badly ingrown into the pad at the bottom 

 of its foot. 



139. Circus pygargus. Montagu's Harrier. 



Although I never actually shot an example, I Ijelieve I 

 have seen specimens during the M'inter months. A bird 

 ooserved on 31 March, 1916, by Mr. M. J. Nicoll and 

 myself v/as, I believe, referable to this species. 



140. Accipiter nisus nisus. Sparrow-Hawk. 



This hawk was frequently observed between late autumn 

 and spring, and I shot several specimens in order to try 

 to identify Accipiter hrevipes at Abu Zabaal, but in this I 

 was unsuccessful. 



141. Milvus migrans aegyptius. Yellow-billed or Egyptian 



Kite. 



Common and resident, but does not breed at Abu Zabaal, 

 merely hawking around for food, of which dead fish form a 

 not inconsiderable part. Extremely abundant in Cairo and 

 its suburbs as a resident species, where it is tame and very 

 darino-. I have seen these birds swoop down and take cakes 

 off a tea-table spread out of doors, and others diving down 

 in crowded thoroughfares to snatch up a choice piece of 

 garbage and make otf with it. 



It selects various sites for its nest, but favours tall trees 

 the most, where a large accumulation of nesting material is 

 collected. Ledges on the cliffs behind the Citadel and 

 at Helouan, window-ledges in deserted houses and ruins, 

 and even the flat tops of inhabited houses, are sometimes 

 resorted to. It commences to build very early in the season, 

 and I have taken eggs at the beginning of February, and 

 have observed birds repairing their nests in December in the 

 grounds of the Continental Hotel in Cairo. On the other 



