1920.] Birds of Southern Palestine. 337 



Dryobates syriaciis. 



D. s. syriaciis (Hemp. & Ehr.). 

 A few pairs are resident in most clumps o£ trees in the 

 Judfean highlands and in the Shephelah. It was also 

 observed near Lake Galilee in April. A female shot on 

 30. xii. had a wing-measurement of 129 mm. 



Jynx torquilla. 

 J. t. tonjidlla L. 



Four specimens were brought home, three autumn birds 

 and one shot on 7. iii. They are all markedly grey on the 

 upper parts, but can he matched by autumn birds from 

 Algeria, Germany, and England. An examination of eastern 

 Asiatic specimens (jajionica) makes me doubt whether they 

 can be separated from the typical European Wryneck. 

 They are not always smaller, the wings of many ranging to 

 90 mm., and the plumage, so variable individually in this 

 species, is scarcely distinguishable, while in most birds from 

 the mouth of the Amur the plumage is identical with 

 European birds. 



The paleness of all the Palestine birds tloes, however, make 

 me wonder whether central Asiatic Wrynecks may not be 

 more liable to this pale [)hase than European or eastern 

 Asiatic birds. 



(*ommon on both passages. First observed at l{afa in 

 autumn on 2. ix., after which a few tired individuals could be 

 found sitting disconsolate in gardens. Not seen after 18. ix., 

 exce[)t once, on 25. x. Spring passage commenced at 

 Ramleh on 6. iii. and lasted till 27. iii., when the bird was 

 by no means rare. 



Cuculus canorus. 



C. c. tclepltonxs Heine. 



The five specimens brought home agree with this race as 

 reoards the liohter orev of the throat, but the barrino- on 

 the under parts, though scarcely so narrow as in felepJiomis, 

 is not so broad as in most specimens from western Europe, 

 yet it compares well with some of them. The barring 



