244 ABISTOTLE S ENAIMA, 



do not furnish an identification at all satisfactory, for they 

 are either very rare in Grecian waters, or they differ from 

 Aithyia in breeding habits, or in the nature of their food, 

 and, among the herring-gulls, that which furnishes the best 

 identification is the one considered by some to be a distinct 

 species, viz., L. leucopliceus (the yellow-legged herring gull). 

 This bird is very common in Greece, and nests among the 

 rocks rather early in spring. It is described in Sharpe and 

 Dresser s Birds of Europe, 1871-81, vol. 8, where it is 

 stated (Seebohm s notes being quoted) that this is almost 

 the only kind of gull met with in the Mediterranean, both 

 in spring and summer, and that Seebohm visited some 

 breeding places of this bird in the Isle of Makree, and, from 

 what he saw, concluded that it must have had eggs about 

 the middle of April. 



The Peristeroeide of Aristotle include Peristera (the 

 domestic pigeon), Phatta (the wood pigeon, still called 

 Phassa or Phatta in modern Greece), Oinas (the rock 

 pigeon), and Trygon (the turtle dove, still called Trygon in 

 modern Greece). His statements about these birds are 

 numerous, and some only, relating to Phatta and Trygon, 

 will be considered. 



Aristotle says that Phatta is the largest and Trygon the 

 smallest of his Peristeroeide.* According to him, the Try 

 gon is never seen in Greece during the winter, but only in 

 summer, and this he explains by its migrating to and from 

 Greece and also by its hiding itself, t The turtle dove is a 

 particularly good example of a summer migrant. It arrives 

 in Greece in April, and leaves in August. I His statements 

 about Phatta are inconsistent, for he says that it is always 

 seen in Greece, and that it does not winter there. || 



Referring to the autumnal disappearance of birds gene 

 rally, Aristotle says that they do not all migrate to warm 

 regions, as some say, but those which are near the regions 

 where birds of their own kind are always found, migrate 

 thither, while some which are far away from the regions 

 where birds of their own kind are always found, do not 

 migrate, but hide themselves. IT This erroneous view about 

 migrations was held for many centuries after Aristotle s time, 

 and is still to be found as a popular belief. 



* H. A. v. c. 11, s. .2. f Ibid. viii. c. 5, s. 5, viii. c. 14, s. 5, viii. c. 18. 

 I Sharpe and Dresser s Birds of Europe, 1871-81, vol. 7. Section 

 on Turtur vulgaris. 



H. A. viii. c. 5, s. 5. || Ibid. viii. c. 14, s. 5. H Ibid. viii. c. 18. 



