The Zoologist — February, 1873. 3387 



Although it frequents reedy marshes and mustard-fields, or wherever vege- 

 tation is luxuriant, it rarely alights upon the plants, but almost invariably 

 keeps on the ground, where it runs with tail upraised, stopping every now 

 and then to pick up an insect or to watch the intruder from the edge of its 

 retreat. Specimens differ considerably in the colour of the spot on the throat, 

 which may be met with in all stages from pure white to rufous." — P. 85. 



The following note on Savi's warbler, in what may be considered 

 its home, will be interesting to those who bear in mind that it was 

 formerly a regular summer visitor to our eastern counties, coming 

 to breed there, and leaving in the autumn. 



" This warbler is resident in Egypt, tolerably abundant, and generally 

 distributed. It usually frequents cornfields, selecting the spots where the 

 crop grows most luxuriantly ; and it may also be found in the reedy marshes 

 of the Delta and Fayoom, where I have frequently seen it and occasionally 

 procured specimens. When disturbed it leaves its shelter very reluctantly 

 and flits away hurriedly, flying close to the top of the herbage for a short 

 distance, and then it suddenly dips down and is immediately hidden. Nor 

 will it allow itself to be driven far from the place whence it originally started, 

 but if pursued prefers to seek shelter by creeping among the stalks of the 

 plants rather than expose itself again by taking wing. On this account the 

 bird is difficult to procure, and is consequently rare in collections." — P. 89. 



The usefulness of the kestrel as an insect-eater is briefly noticed : 

 Mr. Shelley on one occasion saw at least a hundred in a single 

 clump of palm trees, attracted by the locusts which were passing in 

 dense continuous clouds beneath them : like the redfooted falcons, 

 the kestrels of both the Egyptian species seem to feed almost 

 exclusively on insects. The same is the case with the black* 

 shouldered hawk [Elanus ccsruleus), a northern resident Egyptian, 

 which — 



" Generally frequents the sont trees ; but I have rarely observed more 

 than a pair in the same clump. The food consists of insects and mice, 

 which I have seen it pursuing after sunset when I have been waiting for 

 duck. Being by no means shy, its habits may be easily observed, and I have 

 seen a bird occasionally remaining perched upon the top bough of a sont 

 tree for hours together, uttering at intervals a low cry to its mate, who is 

 rarely far off". By this rather peculiar cry, which it frequently repeats while 

 sitting on its eggs, I was attracted to its nest on one occasion. The eggs, 

 though rare in collections, are by no means difficult to find in Egypt. It 

 begins breeding towards the end of February, and appears invariably to 

 select a sont tree for its nest, which is constructed of sticks and reeds put 



