1922.] Mr. I). Carnither^ ()n tlw Arabian Odrich. 471 



1G<S. * Fuligula rulina (Pall.). 



T. & B. p. 152. 

 Sliasl market, 30 January, 1918 (two), 



169. * Fuligula baeri liadde. 



Shasi market, 25 February, 1918 (one). 



170. * Fuligula ferruginea Gni. 



Shasi market, 25 February, 1918 (two or three). 



171. Fuligula cristata (L.). 

 T. & B. p. 152. 



Shasi market, 25 February, 1918 ( three j. 



172. Mergus merganser L. 

 T. & B. p. 152. 



Shasi. Abundant in winter. 



173. Podiceps minor philippensis (Bonnat.). 

 Tacliijhaptes riiji'-ollls jyogyel T. & B. p. 14G. 

 Shasi. Common on ponds and on river in winter. 



XXYII. — The Arahian Ostrich. 



By Douglas Carrutheks, M.B.O.U. 



The interesting note in the ' Field ' of 22 April last to the 

 ctiect that eggs ol the Arabian Ostrich had been recently 

 safely brought, by air and sea, in 30 days from the nest 

 in northern Arabia to London, and had been placed in an 

 incubator in the Zoological Gardens, tempts me to send you 

 some notes ot" my own, collected over many years, on this 

 interesting and little-known species. 



First of all as to the actual locality whence these eggs 

 were obtained by the Sulubl)i hunter and brought in to 

 Ramadi. " Three hundred miles from Baghdad, roughly 

 half-way between Baghdad and Jerusalem/' brings one to 

 the very centre of the southern Syrian Desert, in tlie neigh- 

 bourhood of Jebel Anaza. This is a region we know little 

 or nothing about. Musil, the Austrian explorer, is the 

 only Euro])ean who has been across it (in 1909), although 

 Leachnian in 1912 skirted its eastern flank. It is therefore 



