114 Dr. F. H. H. Guillemard — Ornithological 



The track from Lefkonico to Akantliu crosses the northern 

 range by a low pass, so low, indeed, that it is hardly worthy 

 of the name. The mountains, too, are on a corresponding 

 scale, for they are nowhere nnich above 3000 feet in height ; 

 but the abruptness of their northern face makes the scenery 

 very much finer than would be expected, and this coast is 

 undoubtedly the most beautiful part of the island. I had 

 hoped to find something new in the fauna or flora, and was 

 not disappointed, for directly after beginning the descent 

 on the further side I shot a specimen of the beautiful Em- 

 beriza melanocephala, and soon found it to be common enough 

 here, though south of the pass not one was to be found. I 

 afterwards noticed a few on the Troodos range ; but the true 

 home of this species is on the northern coast. The same may 

 be said of the two Shrikes, Lanius nubicus and L. coUurio. 

 The former I observed in two or three places on the slopes 

 of the southern mountains, but, to the best of my recollection, 

 I never saw the Red-backed Shrike anywhere but at the 

 north of the island and on Mt. Troodos. It is worthy of 

 note that in almost every individual of these two species I 

 found three or four filiform helminths beneath the skin at the 

 back of the neck. 



Akanthu was in many ways an interesting place, though 

 its interest perhaps lay more in the people and their customs 

 then in anything else. They were more energetic than the 

 ordinary Cypriote, although possibly quite as little to be 

 depended on, and I was able to get a few men to help me in 

 collecting, which I had hitherto found almost impossible. 

 From the crags above the village I got three young Gyps 

 fulvus, one of which (brought to me on ]\Iay 5th) had only 

 been hatched four or five days. Scops giu was also brought 

 alive to me, having been taken while sitting on its eggs from 

 a hole in the roof a house. The village was placed on a 

 series of arid spurs about six hundred feet above the sea, and 

 if one chose to look for them, there was no lack of scorpions 

 and Scolopendrce, although they seldom obtruded themselves 

 on one^s notice. Life was, nevertheless, a burden from other 

 causes. Sand-flies and mosquitos harassed one at night, and 



