Tour in Cyprus in 1887. Ill 



pence^ and a week or two later, when at Kyreuia, I found 

 that donkeys were beino; shipped across to the Karamanian 

 coast in large numbers by an enterprising Hebrew. No one, 

 however, cared to do any work during the holiday season ; 

 and, partly because I was unable to get transport, partly 

 because I had found an excellent lake for water-fowl to the 

 north of Larnaka, I remained in the town until April 19th. 



I heard the first Cuckoo April 13th, and saw one four days 

 later. At this season the Sparrows in the town collect in 

 large flocks of four or five hundred individuals, just before 

 sunset, and fly round and round for half an hour or more 

 before going to roost. In no part of the world have I seen 

 such enormous numbers of Swifts as in Larnaka, but they 

 were all Ci/pselus apus. As on my first visit, I found birds 

 scarce, and the only species worthy of mention was Pijcnonotus 

 xanthopy gills. Although I did not shoot it, I have little doubt 

 about the bird, for it perched in a tree above me, within a 

 couple of yards of my head. At the lake to the north of 

 Larnaka (a nice sheet of water, about an hour's ride from the 

 town) I found Plegadis falcinellus in small flocks of a dozen 

 or fifteen individuals. They permitted a tolerably near ap- 

 proach ; but the Stilts, of which there were numbers, were 

 exceedingly shy. Each time I visited the place I found three 

 Swans swimming in conscious security in the middle of the 

 lake. I tried a long shot at them on one occasion, and, 

 whether in consequence of this or not I cannot say, a peasant 

 several days later brought in a wounded bird to my host. It 

 turned out to be Cygnus olor. 



Leaving Larnaka I rode to Famagusta, or rather to its 

 Christian suburb, Varosia. The road lies for a few miles 

 along the shore, and then, turning off" at the head of Larnaka 

 Bay, crosses the barren stretch of land which ends in the 

 Cape Greco promontory some 20 miles to the S.E. Nothing 

 more dreary and depressing can well be conceived. The 

 plain is nearly a dead level, featureless save for one or two 

 ruined and solitary churches, which are visible at an immense 

 distance, and add still further to the efi'ect of loneliness and 

 desolation. I had found an enormous flock of Larus melano- 



