Birds of the Caucasus. 21 



Cbrthia familiaris. 



The Common Creeper is also a resident in many parts of 

 the Caucasus. 



TiCHODROMA MURARIA. 



The Wall- Creeper is not uncommon from the limit of 

 forest- growth up to the snow-line and in the rocky passes too 

 steep and narrow for the growth of trees. 



SiTTA C^SIA. 



The Common Nuthatch frequents the forests below the 

 pine-region in considerable numbers. 



SiTTA NEUMEYERI. 



The Eock -Nuthatch has been repeatedly obtained in the 

 Caucasus. Dresser_, in his ' Birds of Europe/ has involved 

 this species in great confusion. It was originally described 

 from Dalmatia^ is found in Greece, Asia Minor, Palestine, 

 the Caucasus, and Persia {S. rupicola, Blanf., is a synonym). 

 A larger paler- colon red species, S. syriaca (of which S. te- 

 phronota, Sharpe, is a synonym), was originally described 

 from Syria ■^, and is found in Palestine, Turkestan, and Af- 

 ghanistan. 



Upupa epops. 



The Hoopoe is one of the commonest birds of the Caucasus. 



CORACIAS GARRULUS. 



The European Roller is very common in the plains. 



Alcedo ispida. 



The Kingfisher is very common in the Caucasus, ascending 

 to a height of 5000 feet. 



Merops apiaster. 



The Bee-eater is very common in the plains. 



Merops persica. 



The Egyptian Bee-eater has only been found on the south- 

 east side of the Caucasus. 



* Ou what ground does Canon Tristram (Ibis, 1883, p. 410) contradict 

 Temminck's statement (Man. d'Orn. iii. p. 287) that Ehrenberg found this 

 species in Syria ? 



