1.2.2 Dr. F. H. H. Guillemard — Ornithological 



neighbourhood of the military camp at the summit, such an 

 occurrence must be regarded as very unusual. The rutting- 

 season is late in October or at the beginning of November, 

 and at this time the rams fight fiercely. The clashing of 

 their horns is audible at a considerable distance, and a 

 favourite native method of getting a shot is to knock two 

 stones together in imitation of this sound, at the top of some 

 hill in their favourite haunts. This device is said to be so 

 successful, that if any ram is near he is nearly certain to be 

 attracted by it. They have generally one young one at a 

 birth, but sometimes two, and the kid is said to be so active 

 that even on the day of its birth it can only with difficulty 

 be run down by a dog. 



Mr. Williamson estimated the total number of Moufflon 

 at present existing on the island to be between 100 and 150, 

 and considered the former number would be probably nearer 

 the mark than the latter. The natives think there are more, 

 having a superstition that once a year the saint Agio Mama 

 herds the animals, and that if he finds more than 700 he spirits 

 away the surplus, if less, supplies the deficiency. Nothing 

 would induce a Cypriote to go hunting on this day. 



In the cliffs formed in past ages by the Phoenicians in 

 their search for copper I found the Roller and Bee-eater 

 breeding, and spent a day in digging out their nests. The 

 latter birds seem to prefer to make their burrows near the 

 top of the eliff", and the length of it (sometimes as much as 

 ten or twelve feet) is surprising. The Roller bred here in a 

 nest so exposed that I could see the eggs from the brow of 

 a cliff opposite. It was witiiin a day or two of hatching 

 a second brood. 



While at Limni I heard of a cliff, six or eight miles distant, 

 in which Peregrines, or birds of that nature, were supposed 

 to build ; but the heat was so great (the minimum night 

 temperature being 81° Fahr.) that I was glad to be able to 

 get a sporting native to visit it for me. He returned two days 

 later with a young Bonelli's Eagle {Nisaetus fasciatus) ; but 

 though I sent him back again with a promise of good pay if he 

 obtained the parents or any Falcons for me, he did not succeed 



