68 Col. R. Meinertzhagen on Birds from [Ibis, 



British Museum have wings 202-211 and lower backs the 

 same colour as the back. 



In typical schimperi the mantle is much lighter than in 

 C. I. Uvi'i, and slightly paler than in palcestina' ; the bird 

 is much smaller and the rump, though usually grey, is fre- 

 quently whitish grey or almost white. 



Now in Egypt there is no doubt that all the Rock-Pigeons 

 have been, or could have been, contaminated by or even 

 originated from domesticated stock. But this does not alter 

 the fact that Egyptian birds all tend to revert, not to 

 typical C. I. Uvia, but to a geographical race, which has been 

 named scMmi^eri. It can never be proved whether the 

 origin of scliimperi is artificial or natural ; the fact remains 

 that the climatic or other conditions of Egypt produce a 

 creocrraphical race of Colnmha Uvia which is different from 

 all others. 



STREPTOPELIA TURTUR. 



Streptopelia turtur turtur (L.). 



Common on both passages in Egypt and Palestine, none 

 remaining the winter. 



In 1920 spring passage in Egypt commenced about 18. iv. 

 Birds were common by tlie first week in May and till at least 

 26. V. Migration seemed to pass not only over the Delta, 

 but over Suez and up the Suez Canal to Port Said. 



In Palestine during 1920 northern migration was in full 

 swing in the Jordan Valley and over the Judfcan highlands 

 from 26. iv. to at least 4. v. 



Streptopelia turtur arenicola Hartert. 



Birds of this race occur in equal numbers with birds of the 

 tj'-pical form and at the same periods in both Egypt and 

 Palestine. • 



Streptopelia turtur isabellina Bonaparte. 



A local summer visitor to the Egyptian Delta, arriving 

 about the end of April. Their breeding colonies are by no 

 means numerous. 



