BIRD MIGRATIONS ALONG THE NILE VALLEY. 381 



a doubt, and showed that each of the dots passing 

 in the zenith was a stork, whose expanded wings 

 probably measured something like 4^ to 5 feet from 

 tip to tip. The air was thick with them, and 

 there must have been tens and possibly hundreds of 

 thousands in each of these flights, all proceeding north- 

 wards from the Soudan towards Northern Egypt, and 

 other countries in Asia Minor and parts of Europe. 

 Flight succeeded flight at short intervals in this manner 

 for the greater part of two days. Further down the 

 river the pelicans also came along in large numbers, 

 but flying at lower altitudes than the storks. 



The migration of these great birds upon the Nile 

 seems to us to take rank among the most interesting 

 problems of avian season flight, as on account of their 

 great size they are always visible in clear weather 

 during daylight, with the aid of good glasses, no matter 

 how high they may fly. It would be well worth 

 while for skilled observers to station themselves, say 

 at Wadi Haifa, near the Second Cataract, and Philce, 

 at the First Cataract, during the months of March and 

 April, and perhaps during part of May, to observe 

 them. The margins of Lake Menzaleh would be 

 another good standpoint of observation. Photographs 

 could be obtained which would place on record a 

 good representation of these great flights, which would 

 be beyond the reach of supposed exaggeration. They 

 occur annually in spring and autumn, at intervals, 

 for periods extending over some weeks; though it is 

 probably only on particular days that such vast flights 

 as those we have endeavoured to give a very inadequate 

 description of, are visible: but our stay was short, 



