1920.] Birds of Southern Paleatine. 197 



that o£ a female is exactly the same. In freshly moulted 

 specimens the hrown is almost absent. 



Large numbers of these birds roost in the sand-dunes on 

 the iioi-th Sinai coast from August to March. The flioht of 

 these desert birds is very strong and they can chase and 

 catch Dotterel, which though possibly wounded, could still 

 fly high and fast. It was no uncommon sight near Ilafa in 

 winter to see a pair of these Ravens away up in the heavens 

 pursuing a Dotterel, which they eventually Ijrought to 

 ground. I am told thiit Havens have been seen in Scotland 

 pursuing Rock-Pigeons with success, but beat them down in 

 flight with their wings. 



The Arabs call this l)ird (lliurab el Nohi, believing it to 

 bo the liaveu which Noah liberated from the Ark. 



Corvus rhipidurus Hart. (= a^nig.) 



The Fan-tailed J{aven was only observed in the Dead Sea 

 and Jordan depression. There were two pairs nesting in 

 cliffs near Jericho on 2. iv. They are very wild and difficult 

 of approach. None were obtained. 



Corvus comix. 



C. c. s//riacus Gengler, J. f. 0. April lUll), p. 221. 



On 14 May, 1919,1 described the Palestine Hooded Crow 

 as Corcus comix judirus (Bull. B.O.C. no. ccxliii.), but this 

 name must now become ii synonym of syriacus which has a 

 montli's priority. Genglcr bases his subspecies on a male 

 and two females from Jerusalem. 



This race is much smaller than true corni.r, and has a 

 slightly darker and browner mantle. The wings of seven 

 Palestine birds vary from 278 to 30,") nun., while typical 

 comix usually varies from 320 to 340 mm. Egyptian Hooded 

 Crows are indistinguishable from European specimens, 

 though they have a slightly smaller wing-measurement, five 

 ill the Tring Museitm varying from 308 to 318, while Nicoll 

 tells me his specimens are usually between 293 and 318, 

 the largest bird being 357 mm. The bill of the Palestine bird 

 is noticeably smaller than that of Hooded Crows from any 

 other part of the world. 



