374 Mr. R. HaAvlver on a Collection of 



XXXIII. — List of a small Collection of Birds made in the 

 Vicinity of Lahej, in Southern Arabia. By Richard 

 Hawker, F.Z.S. 



While waiting at Aden and preparing for an expedition 

 into Somaliland, I made a hnrried visit to Lahej, where 

 I was able to stop only for two days (October 25th and 

 26th, 1897). During that time, however, I was fortunate 

 enough to secure examples o£ four species of birds which 

 do not appear in Colonel Yerbury's list of Aden birds (Ibis, 

 1896, pp. 13-41), viz. the Lanner [Falco feldeggi), the Ruff 

 [Machetes pugnax), the Greenshank {Totanus canescens) , and 

 the Pintail Duck {Dafila acuta). In the following list of the 

 sixteen species represented in my collection I have followed 

 the arrangement of Colonel Yerbury's paper. 



1. Melierax polyzonus (Riipp.) ; Yerbury, Ibis, 1896^ 

 p. 15. 



Two specimens : an adult (base of bill dark orange, tip 

 black; feet dark orange; iris brown) and an immature bird 

 (bill dark horn-colour ; feet yellow ; iris pale yellow). 



These birds, in their flight, reminded me very much 

 of Harriers in the way in which they quartered the ground 

 when hunting. 



2. T'alco feldeggi Schl. ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. i. 

 p. 389 (1874). 



A male, not quite adult, " Base of bill pale blue, tip 

 dark; feet yellowish white; iris brown.'' 



3. Merops cyanophrys (Cab. & Heine) ; Yerbury, t. c. p. 19. 

 Two specimens : male and female. " Iris brick-red.'^ 

 This Bee-eater seemed to prefer the vicinity of trees to 



hunting in the open. 



4. Merops persicus Pall. ; Yerbury, t. c. p. 19. 

 Two males. " Iris brick-red." 



5. Lanius lahtora Sykes; Yerbury, t. c. p. 21. 

 A male. '' Bill and feet black ; iris brown.^-' 



This bird was rather common in the thorn-jungles around 

 Lahej. 



