Behaviour of Birds 



took little notice of aeroplanes; as an 

 observer puts it, "they created no more 

 alarm than a steam engine in the next parish ' ' 

 (The Field, ly.xi.i;). 



STARLINGS put in an appearance on the 

 first day of the bombardment of Gaza, at the 

 end of October 1917. Their numbers in- 

 creased as the year went on, and by Decem- 

 ber there was a flock estimated at half a 

 million, which fed, being often accompanied 

 by flocks of thousands of ROCK-PIGEONS, on 

 the old British camping-ground. 



SWALLOWS, both European and Egyptian, 

 were common throughout the autumn, and 

 invariably accompanied mounted troops to 

 catch the insects disturbed by their horses' 

 feet (Field, 3O.iii.i8, p. 447). 



Not far from the Wadi Guzzee, a pair of 

 WHEATEARS took up residence, in May 1917, 

 within two yards of a bivouac occupied by a 

 detachment of R.A.M.C. The hen-bird was 

 quite fearless, and would enter her nest whilst 

 men were washing in a basin less than two 

 yards off, without the least sign of alarm 

 (Country Life, S.ii.ig). 



139 



