370 Mr. W. Haw on the [Ibis. 



and a tliriving lot breed wild in the trrounds of the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens at Giza, where they lay in May and June, 

 rearing two broods annually. They are also re-established 

 in the Fayiun Province, wdiere they are also protected. 



155. Ardeola ralloides. Squacco Heron. 



Squacco Herons appear annually on the Birket Accrashi 

 in small parties about the end of March, remaining until the 

 middle of May. I appear to have no notes of having observed 

 this species in the autumn. 



156. Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax. Night Heron. 

 Single birds and small parties observed on the Birket 



Accrashi at various times throughout the year, being most 

 often seen in October and November. The only breeding- 

 colony I know of in Egypt is that in the Zoological Gardens 

 at Giza, where I saw young birds about three days old on 

 8 July, 1916. The same colony had young birds in nests in 

 the banyan-trees on 10 June, 1917. I suspect the existence 

 of another colony somewhere in the neighbourhood of Kafr 

 Aydub, near Zagazig. 



157. Ixobrychus minutus minutus. Little Bittern. 

 Resident and fairly numerous, although not often seen. 



I took two clutches of four eggs each at Inchas on 11 May, 

 1916, which were half-incubated, and found that this date 

 was consistent in subsequent seasons. 



[This species builds a slight nest of rushes in high reeds 

 over deepish water. My dates do not quite agree with 

 those of Mr. llaw% unless the species is double-brooded. Out 

 of nine nests observed at Inchas, three contained five and 

 six four eggs. Fresh eggs 12 May, 4 and 15 June ; incubated 

 eggs 29 and 31 May.— R. S.] 



158. Botaurus stellaris stellaris. Bittern. 



I first met with this species on 16 April, 1916, when I shot 

 one on the Birket Accrashi. Later I discovered that it 

 wintered there. In November 1917 I counted nineteen on the 

 wing together, which had been flushed by beaters when 

 duck-shootino;. 



