Bird Notes from the Nile. 45 



the Common and Tristram's. The latter 

 is a rather smaller and darker bird. Both 

 kinds abound at Aswan, and we often saw 

 them together. 



In the desert, generally at some distance 

 from the river, the Large Desert or 

 Bifasciated Lark is found, though it is 

 rather a scarce bird. We saw a few a 

 mile or two south-west of the " Deir 

 Simun." They ran very fast for some 

 distance before taking to flight. 



The Tawny Pipits, too, paid us many a 

 visit. These were, though larger, even 

 more difficult to see than the larks, their 

 plumage so closely resembles the ground. 

 They are said to be spring visitors only, 

 but some must, I think, remain, all the 

 year in Egypt. They were at the Goubat 

 el Hawa quite early in February. 



TheWhite-rumpedChats,or "Tumblers," 

 were common about Aswan, and two pairs 

 of these came daily to our camp, and 

 were on the most famiHar terms with us. 

 They were continually flying about our 

 " diggings," and would even ventu 

 quite into Ka-Gemu's tomb, where I was 

 tracing and copying the beautiful designs it 



