438 j\rr. M. J. Nicoll — Contributions 



BOTAURUS STELLARIS (Lillll.). 



Botaurna stellaris Shelley, p. 271. 



Mr. Balboni sent me a female Bittern wliicli lie had shot 

 on May 7tli, 1910. 



[It is somewhat surprising that neither Mr. Balboni nor 

 I have met with Ardetta minnta in the Wadi. I fancy 

 tlie reason for this is that owing to the non-existence of 

 fishes tliere is not sufficient food for the bird, which is au 

 abundant resident throughout the year in suitable spots in 

 Lower Egypt.] 



KvcTicoRAX GRiSEUs (Liun.). 



Xycticorax griseus Shelley, p. 270. 



The Night Heron a[)pears to be a visitor to the Wadi 

 Natron in spring and autumn, as at both seasons I have 

 received examples from Mr. Balboni. AVhether it winters 

 there as it does in Lower Egypt generally, I am unable at 

 present to say. 



ClCONIA CICONIA. 



Ciconia aU)a Beclist., Shelley, p. 365. 



On April the 18th, 1910, Mr. Balboni shot a White Stork 

 and two days later another, both of which he forwarded 

 to me. 



Plegadis falcinellus (Linn.). 



Ibis falcinelhs Linn., Shelley, p. 362. 



I have three specimens of the Glossy Ibis from the Wadi : 

 two males shot by Mr. Balboni on April 11th, 1910, and a 

 female shot on May 7th, 1910. On the latter date Mr. 

 Balboni saw at least one hundred of these Ibises — and a 

 wonderful sight it must have been. 



Shelley says that this bird " ranges throughout Egypt 

 and Nubia, where it remains during the year." This I 

 believe is hardly correct, as I do not know of a single 

 instance of the Glossy Ibis breeding in Egypt, although it 

 is a regular spring visitor on migration. 



