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



Botaurus stellaris. Bittern. 



1 ? , Yebua Marsli, 31. xii. 17. 



I do not tliink I ever visited Yebna Marsh without seeing 

 one or more between December and February. I saw birds 

 19 May, 1918, and on several subsequent occasions up to 

 July. Found an old nest with egg-shells 15 July. 



Ixobrychus minutus. Little Bittern. 



1 ?, Ramleh, 1-2. v. 18. 



Common in sviitable localities for about ten days from 



7 May. 



Ciconia ciconia. White Stork , 



A pair seen at Bir el Esani, south of Beersheba, 4 Sep- 

 tember 1917, and two on 13 November in open dry country 

 near Sheria, north-west of Beersheba. I also noticed a 

 flock of about ten in Yebna Marsh 4 February, and on 



8 March I saw several flocks of some hundreds each, cir- 

 cling and making their way northwards along the coast just 

 inland. At Wadi Ghuzze, 3 May, 1918, 1 found many scores 

 of birds lying by the pools, apparently dead from exhaustion. 

 During April and May there were thousands scattered over 

 the Judean Hills but few in the plains near Jaffa. On 

 2 June I saw two flights of several hundred birds each near 

 Ramleh. It is a little surprising to me that I have seen no 

 signs of them breeding anywhere in or south of the Jaffa- 

 Jerusalem line, although there are many suitable sites. 



Ciconia nigra. Black Stork. 



Major Austin, R.A.M.C, reported having seen one 

 amongst a flock of white storks in the vicinity of Jericho 

 in June. 



Plegadis falcinellus. Glossy Ibis. 



A few were seen near Ramleh during spring migration. 



Grus grus. Crane. 



I saw four of these birds in the open sandy country, 

 nowhere near water or vegetation, north-west of Beersheba, 

 near Sheria, 14 November, 1917, 



