24 Bird Notes from the Nile. 



explanation was that a " werry big snake 

 have go into the house-beejum (pigeon- 

 house) and fright out all the beejum ! " 

 It appeared that nobody dare venture into 

 the tower to dislodge the intruder, and 

 for many days the poor pigeons were 

 rendered houseless. We offered backsheesh 

 for the skin of this **taban-kebir" (big 

 snake), but even this did not further 

 matters. We were told at last that a 

 "wery good dervish" was to come and 

 read the Koran at the entrance of the 

 tower, and by this means the snake would 

 be obliged to go ! We never heard the 

 result of this exorcism, but when we left 

 Aswan the snake was said to be still in 

 possession, and in the meantime the 

 birds had flown to another home. 



There are quantities of domestic pigeons, 

 white, grey, and black and white. We 

 bought a pair of young black and white 

 ones from an old Arab out in the desert. 

 They became so tame in a few days that 

 they would not leave us, but insisted on 

 roosting on my chair every night, and 

 when sent out of doors they always re- 

 turned ; when they could not get to the 



