Letters, Extracts, Notices, fijr. 475 



got there I noticed a pair of Lanuer Falcons {Falco lanarius) 

 soaring round the summit of one of the Pyramids. The 

 following evening I returned at sunset, and traced the 

 Falcons to a hole near the top of the Pyramid. The next 

 morning, March 19th, I sent an Arab up to the hole, who 

 brought down five beautiful, very richly coloured eggs, which 

 proved to be slightly incubated. On March 24, 1870 (see 

 Ibis, 1878, p. 370), I took, on the third Pyramid of Gizeh, a 

 clutch of five eggs of Falco lanarius, very pale in colour and 

 much incubated, so that five seems to be the usual complement 

 of eggs of the Lanner, at least in Egypt. I afterwards, at 

 sunset, traced a pair of Corvus umbrinus to another hole in 

 the same Pyramid, and on March 21 I sent up my Arab, 

 who brought down three eggs of the Raven, and also a pair 

 of Owls [Strix flammea) alive. In securing the Owls, the 

 Arab unfortunately broke one of the eggs. The Owls I at 

 once set at liberty, and off they flew back to the Pyramid. 

 The Raven^s eggs were slightly incubated, and remarkably 

 bright in colour, like very blue Jackdaw^s eggs. I have 

 altogetlier taken three nests of Corvus umbrinus in Egypt, 

 containing five, four, and three eggs respectively, all less in 

 size and brighter in colour than those of the Common 

 Raven. 



From Mena House T made an expedition to Sakkara, and 

 on my way there, just on the edge of the desert, I came 

 across a considerable number of Coursers [Cur sorius g alliens^ 

 in small flocks, which allowed a near approach. On my 

 previous visits to Egypt I had but very rarely met with this 



species. 



Yours &c., 



E. Cavendish Taylor. 



The Pilcomayo Expedition. — We are much pleased to be 

 able to announce the safe return to his native land of Mr. J. 

 Graham Kerr, Naturalist to the Pilcomayo Expedition*. Mr. 

 Kerr was obliged to desert his vessel after all, as the river 

 obstinately refused to rise enough to float her down, but 

 * See his letters, above, pp. 13, 260, 



