FROM THE EAST. 521 



between Bethlehem and the Dead Sea, where, however, it was 

 very scarce. In the valley of the Jordan this graceful hird 

 and the Rock-Partridge live together in the same localities, 

 but the former is the more abundant. 



71. FRANCOLINUS VULGARIS. Francolin. 



First found among thick bushes near the halting-place of 

 Abd-el-Kader in the middle of the Jordan valley. On the 

 Upper Jordan, within a day's journey of the Lake of Tiberias, 

 this bird was extremely abundant in the marshy well- watered 

 neighbourhood of the village of Beisan. Pairs of them were 

 met with on damp ground that was well covered with grass, 

 very dense underwood, and a few reeds. The Francolin 

 allows one to come quite close to it, and only takes wing at 

 the last moment. The hens appeared to be sitting, as but 

 one was flushed. All morning, afternoon, and evening the 

 monotonous love-song of the cocks was heard in every direc- 

 tion, and only ceased in the scorching heat of the midday 

 hours. This cry, which is continued until the sportsman is 

 quite near, much facilitates the pursuit of this beautiful game- 

 bird. 



72. COTURNTX COMMUNIS. Common Quail. 



When we arrived in Lower Egypt at the end of February 

 we found that the Quail had not yet come. In the beginning 

 and up to the middle of March the whole valley of the Nile 

 was full of them, but we had neither the time nor the inclina- 

 tion to go specially after these birds. In the latter half, and 

 particularly the last few days, of March, Quail were very 

 numerous in Lower Egypt. At the beginning ef April we 

 found them throughout Palestine, even among the rocky 

 hills where there was no cover, and they were incredibly 

 abundant in the grassy and wooded districts of the valley of 

 the Jordan. There, we were obliged to shoot them for 



