1920.] Birds of Suuthern Puh'stine. 223 



down. Outside measurements, 130 mm. deep and 65 mm. 

 diameter : tlie entrance at the side o£ the top being 30 mm. 

 in diameter. Young able to fly were observed as early as 

 21. m., and young were again found in the nest on 2<6. vi. 



Of seven obtained, the wings of four males vary from 42 

 to 44 mm. 



Cisticola cisticola. 



C. i\ risficoJa (Temm.). 



A locally common resident at Amwns (Emmaus), near 

 Jaffa, Ramleh, and Yebna, preferring reeds and generally 

 marsh-land. Sdaden took fresh egos at Yebna on 20. vi. 

 Not seen in ihe Jordan Valley. 



Crateropus squamiceps. 



('. s. sqiiariiiceps (Oretzschm.). 



We only found this bird at ihe north end of the Dead Sea, 

 on both sides of the Jordan, extending west to Jericho, 

 north to twelve miles from the mouth of the Jordan, and 

 south on the west coast of the Dead Sea for ten miles. 



In the Jericho Valley nests were found high up in the 

 fork or on the crown of a thorn tree. Eggs were laid about 

 the middle of April, the clutch being usually five, sometimes 

 seven or even nine. Their colour was an intense pale blue. 



Turdus pilaris L. 



A winter visitor in small numbers, being obtained as far 

 south as Rafa on 18. xi., before which date it was never seen. 

 Not seen after 27. ii. 



Turdus philomelos. 



J\ i>. jJiiloiiielos Brehm. 

 The Song-Thrush appeared on autumn passage at Rafa on 

 2y. X., after which date it was fairly common but very 

 wild, many passing further on. but a good many remsiined 

 during December and January. A very common winter 

 visitor to the Shephelah and coastal plain, it had nearly 

 always gone north by 28. iii., though an odil bird could be 

 seen till the middle of April. 



