308 Dr. P. L. Sclater on some Birds 



Desert beyond Damascus, for the purpose of collecting 

 specimens of the mammals and birds of that little-known 

 district. 



They went from Beyrout to Damascus by railway, on 

 February 15th, 1905, and on the 18th made a short 

 excursion to Hejana, a small village about four hours' drive 

 from Damascus, situated at the edge of the desert, but 

 surrounded by cultivated laud. Here they stayed nearly a 

 week collecting birds (which included Saxicola finschi, Linota 

 cannabina, &c.) and hunting gazelles in the desert; after 

 which they returned to Damascus. 



On the 28th of February, Messrs. Carruthers and Miller 

 made a fresh start from Damascus with a covered cart and 

 two horses for Kuryatein, on the route to Palmyra, and 

 arrived at Kutif'eh the same day, and at Dcir-Stiyeh on 

 March 1st. Here they camped outside the village, and on 

 March 2nd reached Kuryatein, where they stayed in the 

 house of Pastor Prip — a missionary resident there. 



Kuryatein (Coradcea) is situated at the western end of a 

 broad valley which leads due east to Palmyra, about 40 miles 

 distant, and from its numerous springs and consequent 

 fertility is characterized in Murray's Handbook as "a 

 paradise in the midst of a dreary waste." At Kuryatein and 

 in the district around the travellers stayed about six weeks, 

 and the greater part of their collection of birds, as will 

 be seen from the list, was formed in that region. An 

 excursion to Palmyra was planned, and that famous spot 

 was reached on the 14th of March, but the travellers being 

 unprovided with proper passports Mere not allowed to 

 remain. Many smaller excursions were also made from 

 Kuryatein into the surrounding hills, where good sport 

 was obtained with gazelles and the ibex (Capra sinaitica). 

 Of the latter, five were shot in one day, so that they appear 

 to be still abundant in the district. 



On April 11th, walking along under the " great white cliff" 

 near the springs at Jebar five hours from Kuryatein, 

 Mr. Carruthers says (in his journal) : — " Here was a 

 paradise of bird-life — Kestrels in dozens, Ibises, Rock- 



