Notes from Mesopotamia. 391 



j)lace an Eagle Owl (Bubo ignavus) blinked at me from the 

 ruins of tlie Tower of Babel. 



Of the Accipitres, the Vultures appeared to be rare. One 

 Egyptian A'ulture {Neophro7i percnopterus) was seen near 

 Bagdad^ some large Vultures were noticed at a great height 

 near Mosul, and a small lot, probably Gyps fidvus, were found 

 roosting in a palm grove near Amara, The Imperial Eagle 

 (Aquila heliaca), Pallas's Sea Eagle [Haliaetus leucoryphus), 

 and the White-tailed Sea Eagle {H. alhicilla) were observed, 

 the two latter species being common on the upper reaches of 

 the Tigris. Four Spotted Eagles (A. maculata) were seen 

 near Tekrit, and a few in the marshes near Kurna. Two 

 large Hawks were noted near Mosul, which I think were 

 Bonelli^s Eagle [Hieraetas fasciatus). The Arabs are well 

 acquainted with this Eagle, and prize it very much for 

 hawking gazelle and hares. Buzzards {Buteo ferox and 

 B. vulgaris) were numerous throughout and showed great 

 diversity of plumage^ some of the former species being 

 almost creamy white on the head and body. Montagu's 

 {Circus cineraceus) , Hen (C cyaneus) and Marsh Harriers 

 (C. ceruginosus) , in all varieties of plumage, haunted the 

 marshes and sandpits. But few Falcons were observed. They 

 were probably all Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) and Barbary 

 Falcons {F. barbarus), as only these two species were seen 

 in the hands of Arab falconers. At both Bagdad and Mosul 

 falconry is indulged in by the richer Arabs. At the latter 

 place the Great Bustard is the favourite quarry, but I was 

 informed that it affords poor sport. 



Ospreys [Pandion haliaetus) were occasionally observed 

 throughout the route^ but appeared uncommon, and were 

 certainly the most wary of all the Hawks seen. Sparrow- 

 hawks (Accipiter nisus) were abundant in and around Bagdad 

 and Mohammerah. They doubtless occur throughout the 

 date-palm area. Black Kites {Milvus migrans) were very 

 plentiful everywhere, being occasionally seen in large flocks. 

 Near Amara a cream-coloured Kite was among a flock of 

 Milvus mi(jru7is, and differed from them only in colour. 



