6o The Oologists' Record, September i, 1922. 



of the Spanish Sparrow. Finally, the almond groves are the chief 

 nesting sites of the Goldfinches, but are also much favoured by the 

 Olivaceous Warbler. Pomegranate trees are an irresistible attrac- 

 tion to the Streaked Wren Warbler when he is looking for a suitable 

 site to build his nest. Where were all these birds before civilization 

 brought cultivation in its train ? I am quite sure that few must 

 have bred there in the olden da^^s, as the olive trees are not a fruitful 

 source to the egg-collector. Consequently it seems to me that the 

 vast majority of the birds enumerated have onl}' come to Palestine 

 to breed within recent j^ears. Lastly, I turn to Africa, -to Kenya 

 Colon}^ for still further instances. Just a year ago — I write in 

 May — my partners and myself were commencing to clear a portion 

 of one of our farms, 60 miles east of Elgon, preparatory to breaking 

 the land and putting it under cultivation. Certain birds were here 

 then, and certain of the commoner varieties were conspicuous b}' 

 their absence. This May I have 70 acres under cultivation, and while 

 preparing the land have come across many nests of our Common 

 Pipit, Anthiis sp., and several of the larger Yellow-breasted Pipit, 

 Macronyx croceus. These birds were entirely absent until we had 

 cleared some of the scrub and started breaking the land, while now 

 they are more than common, as we have provided them with suitable 

 nesting sites and feeding grounds. The Glossy Starling, Lamprocolitis 

 massaicus, has also been attracted here, and was breeding freely in 

 the holes of trees in March. Opening up the soil has evidently 

 attracted and released large numbers of insects, as the two Long- 

 tailed Rollers, Coracias caiidatits and Coracias abyssinicns, which 

 were formerlj^ absent, are now quite common, and have been 

 breeding this spring. 



I have no doubt that when I have an extensive orchard going, 

 trees planted, and ornamental gardens made, full of shrubs and all 

 manner of flowers, that various other species wiU be attracted and 

 will breed, more especially the numerous kinds of Sunbirds which 

 are plentiful enough, but whose nests are uncommonly hard to find 

 at present. 



One has only to visit the gardens in our nearest township to see 

 what a variety of small bird life has been attracted to them, and 

 where, during the various breeding seasons, every bush and shrub 

 seems to have an occupant. A bird which has not yet arrived to 

 breed here, but which has paid us a few visits, and which is botmd 

 to come in the long run, is the African Pied Wagtail, Motacilla vidua. 



