250 On Birds observed in Palestine. [Ibis, 



Pterocles alchata. Pintailed Sand-Grouse. 



2, f? ? , Wadi Gliuzze, 20. viii. 17. 



Seen at Shellal, near Gaza, August and September, 1917. 



Pterocles senegallus. Senegal Sand-Grouse. 



2, c? ? 5 Wadi Ghuzze, 14. viii. 17. 



The most common of these species found on Wadi Ghuzze. 



Pterocles arenarius, J31ack-bellied Sand-Grouse. 



I found this species in company of other Sand-Grouse at 

 Sheila], near Gaza, where it was the least common of the 

 three I noticed. Like others of its kind it came to drink in 

 the Wadi Ghuzze about 1^ hours after sunrise and after 

 feeding. At this point, probably owing to the number of 

 troops who were camped in the wadi, Sand-Grouse only came 

 to drink in the morning and never at night. The crops of the 

 birds contained barley, wheat, and other small seeds during 

 August and September, 1917. Unlike the two preceding 

 species they seldom uttered any cry whilst flying, and were 

 therefore often close by or past Avheu first seen. 



Caccabis chukar. Chukar Partridge. 



1 ^ , near Jerusalem, 9. vi. 18. 



A nest containing eleven eggs was found on 7 May. This 

 bird is common in the hills, and 1 have met with it at an 

 altitude of 2800 ft. 



Coturnix coturnix. Common Quail. 



1 o , Yebna Marsh, 22. ii. 18. 



The southward migration near Gaza began about 28 August 

 and lasted until 10 September. They confined themselves 

 almost entirely to the sea-coast, where large numbers were 

 caught in wire-netting by the troops. The spring migration 

 did not seem to cover so definite a period, and birds were 

 common from the middle of January to the end of February. 

 Some remained all the year in suitable localities. 



