12G Occasio)ial ^^otes. 



ischrmohawis), the Mediterranean Grass Warbler (Cisticola 

 cursitavs), European Wheatear {Saxkola cenanthe), Spotted 

 Flycatcher (Muscicapa grisola), European Swift {Cypselus 

 apus), European Nightjar (Caprimulgus ei/j^opceris), European 

 Roller (Coracias garndvs), European i Bee-eater (Merops 

 apiaster), European Cuckoo (Cuculiis-lcanorus), Hobby 

 (Falco suhbuteo). Little Bittern {Ardetta minuta), Night 

 Heron (^Nycticorax griseus), Squacco Heron \(Ardeola raU 

 loides), Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), | White Stork 

 (Ciconia alha), Greater Flamingo {Phmnicopterus roseus), 

 European Shoveller (Spatula clypeata), Moorhen {GalUnula 

 Moropns), Pratincole (Glareola prathicola), and perhaps a 

 few more. 



It is, however, almost entirely only in the case of those 

 species which touch both places in their great migration 

 waves that similarity between the avifauna of Cyprus and 

 South Africa exists — a fact which is, of course, natural in 

 view of the great distance separating the two localities. A 

 few — a very few — species of enormous distribution are 

 resident or substantially so in both localities, as, for example, 

 the Barn Owl [Strix flammea), Grey Heron {Ardea cinerea), 

 Baillon's Crake (Crex baiUoni), Black Vulture {Otogyps 

 auricularis)^ and the Pied Kingfisher {Ceryle rudis). 



" The natives of the island shoot a great deal of game, which 

 finds a ready sale in the island towns. The staple game-bird 

 is the Partridge (Caccahis chukar), a handsome bird of the 

 French partridge type, with red legs and bright white and 

 black chest-feathering. The Francolin (Francolinus vul- 

 garis) is entirely protected by statute until 1911, as it was 

 becoming extinct, but a considerable number have been 

 recently observed since they were made Royal birds. 



" In the winter months a good many Duck of various 

 species, chiefly Wigeon (Alareca penelope), Mallard (Anas 

 hoschas), and Teal (Aiyas crecca), and a few Grey-lag Geese 

 (Anser ferus), come to the salt-pans and lakes, and in hard 

 weather good bags of Snipe and Woodcock (Scolopax 

 gallinago and S. rusticola) can be obtained in marshy and 

 suitable ground. Sometimes — usually about October and in 



