1920.] Bir da of Southern Palestine. 229 



Cercomela melanura. 



C. »i. melanura (Temm.)- 

 ( 'onfined to and resident in tlie Jordan Basin, but does not 

 descend to the actual bottom of the vallej. Of nine 

 obtained at and near Jericho the wings of three males vary 

 from 75 to d<2 mm., and those of five females from 7-1 to 

 82 mm. Half-fledged young were found on 2.iv. 



Luscinia luscinia (L.). 



The Sprosser was observed on autumn passage at Kafa 

 from 20. viii. to 8.x., the bulk passing from 8.ix. to 15. ix. 



On spring passage it was obtained on Mount Carmel on 

 13. iv. and 16. iv. 



Luscinia svecica. 



L. s. volgdc (Kleinschm.). 



The only two examples we brought home Ijelong to this 

 race. 



Bluethroats began to appear on autumn passage at Rafa 

 on 18. X., when an adult male was shot, and from that date 

 onwards a few could always be found till 7. xi., when they 

 all disappeared. Some new arrivals appeared on 25. xi. but 

 passed on at once. 



I saw one in the Shephelah on l.i., and Sladen obtained 

 birds (sub nom. L. s. svecica) near Jaffa on 28. i. and 28.iii., 

 so it is probable that a few winter in southern Palestine, 

 and it is possible that these winter birds are the typical race, 

 whilst the passage migrant is colgte. Both forms occur 

 commonly in Egypt in winter. 



Prunella modularis. 



P. ni. modularis (L.). 



An adult male was obtained at Ivamleh in southern 

 Palestine on 19. xi. Wing 69 mm. Second primary equals 

 the seventh. Two others were seen on 22. xi. Tristram 

 describes this species as a scarce resident in the Lebanon, 

 and it is possibly the hill birds which wander down to the 

 plains and lower ground in cold weather. 



In comparing our Palestine specimen with a large series 



