THE ANGLER AND HVNTsM \X 207 



portant preparations in pharmacy, as, for instance, in the 

 making of emulsions, where its heavy mucilaginous quali- 

 ties make it a valuable vehicle for oily and resinous sub- 

 stances. It is also widely used in the preparation of pills 

 and troches. 



(him catechu, a substance containing tannic acid and 

 used in dyeing, which was at one time extensively used as a 

 remedy in colitis and dysentery, comes from the acacia 

 catechu and acacia suninis, both native to India. 



The Holy Land A Paradise For Birds: 



Swarms of European birds visit Palestine in winter, 

 and many breed there. The cranes, for instance, pass 

 through in winter and in spring the voice of the turtle-dove 

 is commonly heard. 



The Holy Land is appropriately a stronghold of the 

 pigeon family; turtle-doves are found, the wood-pigeon 

 comes in myriads in winter, and the common pigeon, the true 

 Scriptural dove, is still abundant, both wild and tame, 

 throughout the country. Contrasted to these is found the 

 crow tribe of several species, and birds of prey from the 

 great griffon vulture, the "eagle" of Scripture, to the spai'- 

 row-hawk. 



In the deep tropical Jordan valley we find a sort of 

 aviary of real tropical birds, which found there a refuge 

 from the last glacial epoch the lovely little sunbird, or 

 "Jericho humming-bird," the land-feeding white-breasted 

 kingfisher, and a species of gregarious thrush. 



On the coast is found the great Indian fishing owl, and 

 among the rocks of Marsaba the monks have half-tamed the 

 orange-winged blackbird, which is realty a starling of Afri- 

 can type, as much out of his latitude as the hyrax. One of 

 the birds peculiar to Palestine is the pretty little pigmy Mo- 

 abite sparrow, which lives in the reed-beds and is one of the 

 rarest birds in the world. 



