FROM THE EAST. 531 



Having already been unlucky with these shy birds in other 

 countries, I was not surprised at failing to obtain any. The 

 great flocks of Flamingoes, however, though containing many 

 hundreds of individuals, were not nearly so large as the 

 swarms of Pelicans. 



I must mention, as an interesting fact, that we saw the 

 Pomatorhine Skua (Lestris pomatorhinus) in the harbour of 

 Zante during rough weather. This was the second time that 

 I had observed this northern Gull in the Mediterranean, 

 having first noticed it in the western part of this sea, on 

 which occasion I was fortunate enough to secure the rare 

 specimen. I also repeatedly saw the Mediterranean Shear- 

 water (Puffinns ku/ili) along the coasts of Greece and 

 Dalmatia. 



The Waders were the birds which we had the best and 

 most frequent opportunities of observing during our journey : 

 for in the first place Africa and also Western Asia, though in a 

 lesser degree, possess a long list of residents belonging to this 

 group; and, secondly, the northern species take their de- 

 parture later than the generality of the swimming birds, and 

 we therefore met with many of them still in their winter- 

 quarters. The lagoons of Egypt and the flat sandbanks of 

 the Nile also afford splendid resorts for the members of this 

 Order. 



At the end of February I still saw the Woodcock in Africa, 

 for our dogs put one up in a large sugar-cane plantation in the 

 province of Fayum. 



A considerable number of the raptorial species of birds 

 were killed, but unfortunately many more were only seen. 

 The "Stein" Eagle (Aqidla fulva) I twice observed in the 

 mountainous districts of Palestine. The Imperial Eagle 

 (Aquila imperialis) very seldom, but am sure that I once saw 

 it flying over the oak woods of Mount Tabor. The Larger 

 Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) I repeatedly met with, but 



2M2 



