Ornithology of Asia Minor. 93 
(Tadorna rutila), a bird which is of very general distribution, 
and lives near the villages in a half-tame condition. About 
the rifts of volcanic rock were a good many Horned Larks (O¢o- 
corys penicillata) and Chats (Sawvicola erythrea, 8. isabellina) , 
with a few flocks of Starlings (Sturnus purpurascens ?). From 
the summit of the pass over the Antitaurus we had already 
seen the solitary cone of Argeus, snow-clad from peak. to 
base; and now, as we wound along through its fields of tufa 
and débris, the winds on its top whirled up the dry snow 
in a cloud that appeared to issue from the crater, and made 
one almost think that the long dormant fires had been stirred 
again. 
Passing the conical Ali-dagh, and the large suburb of 
Talass, we reached Kaisariyeh, the point of intersection of 
the present and previous journeys. It was before mentioned 
as being a large place, with the best bazaars in Asia Minor; 
but no allusion was made to the remarkable number of old 
Seljoukian tombs in and about it, the conical points of which 
are generally surmounted by a stork’s nest. It was too early 
for the gardens; but the stony levels were well stocked with 
Chats (Sawicolaerythrea, S.isabellina, S. enanthe) ,whicharrive 
in this order. Buteo desertorum, Sitta cesia, Sturnus pur- 
purascens in huge flocks, Machetes pugnax, and Larus canus 
were among other birds met with; and from an Imperial 
Hagle’s nest three eggs were taken, one of them evidently be- 
longing to some other species, probably Haliaetus leucoryphus. 
Among animals we found gerbills (Gerbilla erythrura) , house- 
inhabiting hamsters (Cricetus pheus), and the first instal- 
ment of that lively little creature, Spermophilus xanthoprym- 
nus, which swarms over the whole of the barren interior. We 
were also assured by very good authorities that in the swamps 
near Injesu there is an animal like an otter, with a broad 
hairless tail, a description which, of course, points to the 
beaver. 
We left Kaisariyeh March 29th; and after crossing by long 
stone causeways the marshy ground formed by the damming 
of the Melas in ancient times, we reached the hills bordering 
the Kizil Irmak and the bridge crossing that river. Here 
