236 Major A. G. L. Sladen on [Ibis, 



A resident species iu all rocky and hilly country. I found 

 both Black-tliroated and Black-eared birds generally dis- 

 tributed. Both forms nested in the cliffs of a small wadi 

 near my tent in close proximity to each other^ and I 

 watched four pairs very carefully in order to identify the 

 eggs positively. The specimens listed do not represent the 

 number examined, but they were all that I had time to skin. 

 The females of both forms were indistinguishable from 

 one another, as were also the eggs. Nests were placed in 

 small niches or holes in the wadi cliff and in rocky country 

 under a stone or boulder. Of the eggs which I found in 

 the wadi referred to fully two-thirds were addled, and one 

 clutch, of six were all addled. I never found nests with 

 more than three young, and two was the usual number. 

 This condition of the eggs may have been due to the intense 

 heat. All my observations went to show that black-eared 

 and black-throated birds were only forms of the same species, 

 and there seems no sufficient reason for separating them. 



Pycnonotus xanthopygius. Palestine Bulbul. 



lo, Jaffa, 12. xii. 17. 



Extremely common all over the country where there is 

 any tree-growth, except in the hills. Resident and breeds 

 in the orange groves. Tristram remarks upon the beautiful 

 song of this bird, comparing it to that of the Nightingale; 

 but, although I lived in localities with these birds all around 

 me from December to August, I never heard them utter 

 anything but the shortest of songs seldom repeated. The 

 note was very rich and full, but so uniform and unvaried 

 — consisting of about five notes — that it almost became 

 monotonous. I took several nests of three and four eggs 

 each. 



Muscicapa grisola. Spotted Flycatcher. 



1 o , Wadi Ghuzze, 25. viii. 17. 



Common on migration at Shellal in autumn of 1917 ; 

 it also appeared about 1 May north of Jaffa. I found it 

 breeding m the orange groves at Jaffa, 23 May. 



