BIEDS OF EGYPT. 321 



family comes within the scope of my present work, and is far 

 from being uncommon above the First Cataract. 



Fam. Certhiid^. — This family has only been represented 

 in the preceding pages by one species, the Wall-creeper, 

 Tichodroma muraria ; and the authority upon which that bird 

 has been included is so far from convincing, that I do not 

 hesitate to express my doubts as to its occurrence in Egypt. 



Fam. Laniid^. — Of this family I have included six species, 

 three of which are plentiful ; two, Lanius minor and L. col- 

 lurio, are rare ; the other, L. excuhitor, notwithstanding Von 

 Heuglin's very positive assertion, appears to me a species so 

 extremely unlikely to be found in Egypt, that I cannot con- 

 sider it to be an undoubtedly Egyptian bird. 



Fam. MusciCAPiD^. — The three species of Flycatchers are 

 only met with during their migrations. 



Fam. HmuNDiNiD^E. — Cotyle rupestris has been included 

 upon the authority of Brehm ; but is, in my opinion, not to 

 be met with in Egypt. C. minor appears to me a very 

 doubtfully good species ; the other Swallows, except Hirundo 

 rufula and Chelidou urbica, are extremely abundant. 



Fam. MoTACiLLiD^. — Amongst the Wagtails, Motacilla 

 sulphurea is perhaps the rarest species in Egypt, while M. vidua 

 is almost exclusively confined to the neighbourhood of the 

 First Cataract. Of the Yellow Wagtails, I have recognized 

 three species as Egyptian ; for they are, in my opinion, 

 specifically distinct, Budi/tes flava and B. cinereocapilla being 

 more easily distinguished when alive than when viewed as 

 skins in a collection. 



Of the Pipits, Anthus pratensis'is far from common, though 

 undoubtedly Egyptian. A. Baalteni is included for the first 

 time as Egyptian in this work. If properly identified, it is 



Y 



