24 Mr. P. J. C. McGregor on [Ibis, 



They were very seldom seen during the summer, but from 

 August 16 they appeared in ones and twos at my camp, 

 and on September 8, at sunset, a flock arrived from the 

 N.E. and settled on the slopes of Eyer Dagh, a hill close 

 by. On September 22 another flock, consisting of many 

 hundreds, appeared in the late afternoon and, after long 

 manoeuvring over Eyer Dagh, alighted in and around my 

 camp and at the American n^issiori-camp about a quarter of 

 a mile away, where there were some large trees. The 

 travellers must have been exhausted, as they settled as 

 thickly as Starlings on the stnall willows and poplars around 

 my tents and formed a dense mass on the bare hill-side, 

 allowing a very close approach before they shifted their 

 position by a few yards. They were completely silent, but 

 the night was a restless one for the inmates of the camp, 

 as the slender branches of the trees aff'orded poor perching 

 accommodation for the numbers of heavy birds that crowded 

 them., and were constantly giving way. The result was a 

 ceaseless crashing and fluttering, and sleep was impossible 

 till the whole company rose and departed shortly before 

 dawn. An exactly similar experience was repeated on the 

 following two days and on the 25tli, when enormous 

 numbers of Buzzards arrived from the N.E. at 10.30 a.m., 

 passing over the plain and disappearing in a S.W. direction 

 behind Eyer Dagh. On the following day only a single 

 straggler was seen ; but on the 28th, at about an hour 

 before sunset, the largest passage of all began and continued 

 till some time after dark. The birds came from the N. and 

 N.E. in flights of about 150, but the separate flights followed 

 one another at such short intervals that there n)ust have 

 been several thousands in view at one time, and the stream 

 continued without interruption for about two hours. The 

 rear-guard settled around my tents as described above, and 

 a most unreposeful night again ensued, although guns were 

 flred in order to secuz'e specimens. The last Buzzard was 

 seen on October 16. 



In 1911, no passages on this large scale were noted, but 

 the migrations took place almost at the same dates, the 



