The Zoologist — February, 1873. 3383 



bird. Otis tetrax and O. Arabs are included on very doubtful 

 authority. 



I have selected for quotation a few of the incidental notices of 

 birds both from the "Introduction" and from the systematic list, 

 thinking they would interest my readers, but as usual I have 

 endeavoured to avoid merely technical descriptions. The king- 

 fisher's habit of hovering over the water is not only interesting as 

 a fact in Natural History, but is very prettily told. 



Kingfishers.— " The black and white kingfishers {Cenjle rtidis) are very 

 plentiful, and never fail to attract attention as tliey hover over the pools in 

 search of their finny prey, which they appear rarely to drop upon directly 

 from the bank where they have been sitting, as does our own kingfisher, 

 but hover like a hawk over the water — and, if unsuccessful in their dart, 

 rise apparently unconcerned, to go through the evolution again and again 

 until they succeed, when they retire to the bank to enjoy their meal." — 

 P. 16. 



The multitudes of pigeons have been noticed by every traveller 

 in Egypt, and the state in which they live, like our sparrows, under 

 the shelter of human edifices, cannot fail to strike the stranger. 



Pigeons. — " The number of these birds which live in a semi-domesticated 

 state, is quite marvellous. The natives in most of the villages build a second 

 story to their houses, solely for the sake of these pigeons, which flock to 

 them as soon as they are buUt ; but they require that their houses should 

 be kept more cleanly than the abodes of the natives ; otherwise they leave 

 for better quarters. What would our English farmer say to having these 

 myriads of pigeons feeding on his land ? Yet there is no denying that the 

 Egyptian crops thrive well nevertheless ; and their guano is there considered 

 to more than compensate for the grain they eat, as this kind of manure is 

 particularly valued for the cultivation of the sugar-cane. Although the 

 native gives himself so much trouble to keep a stock of these birds in the 

 villages, none dispute the stranger's right to shoot as many of them as he 

 pleases in the fields ; and it certainly adds considerably to the pleasure of 

 the Nile-trip always to feel oneself lord of the manor, with perfect liberty 

 to shoot what we please and walk where we like, regardless of crops or 

 boundaries." — P. 21. 



A doubt has long been entertained on the unity of species of 

 these winged multitudes ; some authors referring them all to 

 Columbia livia, others considering that there is a large inter- 

 mixture of a second species, Columbia Schiraperi, This doubt 



