202 Col. K. Mc'iucrtzli.'igcu o?i /Ae [Ibis, 



Rhodospiza obsoleta (Licht.). 



Thirteen .s})('ciiiiGns were obtained from lU.x. to 23. iii. 

 This sjx^cies appears to be only a winter visitor and occurred 

 in large nuaibers near Ranileh, the first arrivals bein;f^ 

 observed on 26. x., while the last noted was on 24. iii., Mhen 

 the birds were in flocks of a hundriul or more. 



The wings o£ seven males vary from 83 to 87 mm., but 

 are mostly 85. Those o£ five females vary from 79 to 

 84 mm. 



Pringilla coelebs. 

 F. c. cocleJjs L. 



A common winter visitor throughout the country, first 

 arrivals being noted near Kafa on 11. ix., when a flock of 

 females appeared. In the following year at Ramleli it 

 was not noted till 15. xi., when large Hocks of females 

 app(^ared. All ihe flocks had gone north by 12. iii., only 

 single hens remaining, the last being seen on 22. iii. A few 

 were seen at the north end of the Dead Sea in November. 



Passer domesticus. 

 P. d. Iiihlicus Hart, 



A plentiful resident, breeding in wells and houses. About 

 early October it connnences flocking and is subject to 

 local movement in search of food. The nests vary much 

 in size and structure, some being small and unlined, others 

 bfing ma-ses of grass IG inches across and thickly lined 

 with feathers. A nest placed in a tree on Mount (Jarmcl on 

 23. iv. was 30 feet from the ground and contained six eggs. 

 This race of Sparrow ranges in iiorthern Sinai at least as far 

 west as Hafa. 



Passer moabiticus. 



P. in. inoahiliciis Tristr. 



Confined to the Dead Sea depression and the lower Jordan 



Valh^y. It appears to have extended its range in recent 



years from the south end of the Dead Sea, and now occurs in 



the Jordan swamps about three miles north of the Dead 



