252 Col. R. Meinertzliagen on the [Ibis, 



Thej arriA'ed from the north in the very early hours of 

 the morning, and the passage was always completed by 

 9 A.M., birds usually settling at once, or only flying a very 

 short distance inland. Their flight both over the sea and 

 over the desert seldom reached more than ten to twenty feet 

 above ground or water-level. Migration parties varied from 

 twelve to thirty, being usually about fifteen. Only exhausted 

 birds remained near the coast, the bulk resuming their 

 journey on the following evening. 



Odd birds were seen in the coastal plain of southern 

 Palestine throughout the winter. 



Spring passage was noted at Ramleh from 12.iii. to 6. iv., 

 but the passage was not so marked as in autumn. The Quail 

 passes north through Damascus in spring in thousands. 



Pelecanus onocrotalus. 

 P. 0. onocrotalus L. 



A flock of forty-three was observed passing west at Rafa on 

 22. ix. Observed on spring passage at Belah on 20. iv. 

 and 28. V. in flocks of one hundred and twenty and of five, 

 and at llamleh on 7.iv. in a flock of one hundred and fifty. 



Megalornis grus. 



M. g. grus (L.) . 

 Several small parties were seen near Rafa and Beersheba 

 from 10. xi. to 7.i. Observed on spring passage at Ramleh 

 on 20.iii. 



Anthropoides virgo (L.). 



Flocks of sixty and twenty were observed on spring passage 

 at Ramleh on 16. iii. and 18.iii. 



Ballus aquaticus. 



R. a. aquaticus L. 

 One record at Rafa on 27. xi. This bird is of the typical 

 dark race and not korejeici from Central Asia. 



Porzana porzana (L.). 



The Spotted Crake was common on passage near Rafa 

 from 7. ix. to 11. x. It was also observed at Ramleh on 8. iv. 



