1919-] Birds observed in Palestine. 241 



Buteo riifiventer (:= B. desertorum anct.)^. Steppe Buzzard. 



1 o , Yebna Marsh, 14. i. 18. 



Common during winter in the plains^but rare in summer. 



Accipiter nisus. Sparrovv-Hawk. 



1 ? , Ramleh, 24. xii. 17. 



I secured a female which was in pursuit of some small 

 birds 23 December, near Ramleh. Fairly common during 

 winter, but not seen after March until July. 



Milvus aegyptius. Yellow-billed Kite. 



I am inclined to think that all of the Kites I have seen 

 belong to this species. They were common around Gaza 

 and Shellal in August and September 1917, and on 

 20 October there were literally hundreds sitting all over the 

 sandy, sun-dried country for twenty-four hours during 

 migration. They were very tame, and I rode to within 

 fifteen yards of several. I found them breeding in April in 

 the Judean Hills in some tall pine-trees near Beit Mahsir. 

 These trees grow on the top of a high hill which stands out 

 prominently in the landscape as one travels from Ramleh to 

 Latroon. This point is about 1800 ft. iiigii, and is one of 

 the very few places in this district where these trees grow. 



Falco peregrinus, subsp. ? Peregrine Falcon. 

 I shot one which came regularly to attack a pigeon-loft in 

 February 1918. It is not uncommon on both migrations. 



Falco subbuteo. Hobby. 



A few were observed during migration in September at 

 Shellal, and others were seen during winter near Ramleh. 



Falco barbarus. Barbary Falcon. 



Up to 1 March, 1918, 1 saw four examples which appeared 

 to belong to this species since 9 December, all in the vicinity 

 of Jaffa and Ramleh. Also north of Jaffa 12 April, but I 

 did not secure a specimen. 



Falco cherrug. Saker Falcon. 



One was secured near Rafa August 1917. I saw two 

 examples sitting on telegraph-poles near Shellal at the 

 beginning of the same mouth. 



* See pp. 253-254. 



