376 Mr. W. Raw on the [Ibis, 



in the evening* and night-time to feed. Common and 

 resident at A1)U Zabaal, where it is nsiially seen in pairs, bnt 

 is more oreo-arions in the winter months, when small parties 

 feed on the edge of the cultivation. I have found manj 

 of its eggs by tracking the birds' feet-marks on the sand. 

 The eggs are usually laid well out on the desert from 

 early April until late June. Sometimes only one egg is 

 laid, and I never found three. Two clutches of eggs were 

 taken in the Wadi Natrun at the end of May 1918, and the 

 birds identified. 



[The only pair of eggs I have of this species were taken 

 at Abu Roash on 15. iv. 09.— K S.] 



184. Burhinus senegalensis. Senegal Stone-Curlew. 



I identified this species at Abu Zabaal by shooting speci- 

 mens there on 20 September and 23 October, 1918. At that 

 time several were seen in a large orange-grove near the 

 canal. The riots in the spring of 1919 prevented me hunting 

 for their eggs there ; this was most disappointing, as I was 

 very interested in its breeding-habits elsewhere. I took 

 fresh eggs of this species at the Barrage near Cairo on 

 28 April, 1918. These were found on the roof of a large 

 low building, and as many as ten ])airs were counted using 

 the same roof as a breeding resort. I never heard of this 

 bird selecting any other site as a nesting-jjlace in Egypt, 

 and it is common in Cairo itself, but rarely met with else- 

 where. A pair of birds breed annually on the top of the 

 Lion House in the Zoological Gardens at Giza, laying their 

 pair of eggs on the bare concrete in the full sunlight. Four 

 broods were raised there in 191G, the last clutch being laid 

 dnring the first week in July. Mr. Nicoll quotes this 

 pair as having raised three yonng ones on one occasion. 

 I know of no method of distinguishing its eggs from 

 those of Jj. OS. saliarcv. In habits, however, it is quite 

 different from that species^ as it seems to prefer gardens and 

 orchards, and its cry appeared to me to be much louder. 

 During the fnll moon they were very noisy flying along 

 the Nile. 



