FROM THE EAST. 511 



daily appear at midday over Cairo. The latter part of this 

 statement I can endorse. 



They are also frequently to be seen on the sandbanks of the 

 Nile, especially in the neighbourhood of high mountains. At 

 certain places, such as Medinet Abu, opposite Luxor, one 

 meets with great numbers of them. In Palestine I saw soli- 

 tary specimens between Jaffa and Jerusalem, but round the 

 latter town hundreds daily collected to look for carrion. They 

 always flew from the same direction in a sort of travelling 

 procession, and I observed this flight to Jerusalem from 

 Bethlehem, Mar-Saba, and the Dead Sea ; for all these birds 

 came from the high barren mountains on the left side of the 

 Dead Sea. 



22. ATHENE NOCTUA. Little Owl. 



Very common among gardens and groves in and about the 

 towns of Upper Egypt. 



23. MONTICOLA CYAXA. Blue Rock-Thrush. 



Very common throughout Egypt among mountains, ruins, 

 and even near towns. In Africa this species is distinguished 

 by its great tameness, whereas in Southern Europe it is con- 

 sidered one of the most shy of birds. 



24. SAXICOLA LEUCURA. Black Chat. 



This beautiful bird was only observed near Assouan, in the 

 cemetery among the desert mountains. Two specimens were 

 killed the first in the ordinary plumage, the second with a 

 white forehead. 



25. SAXICOLA CENAKTHE. Wheatear. 



Seen throughout Egypt, but nowhere common. It seeks 

 the same food and frequents the same localities as in Europe. 



