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Mr. J. Lewis Bonhote,



Examples from Egypt resemble the Southern form in

lacking the white forehead, but in all other respects they are

indistinguishable from typical Palestine birds, and as I have

seen a skin from Palestine, in which the white forehead was

absent, there is little doubt that the Egyptian form should be

known as A. heyi , and that Mr. Battye’s article is perfectly

correct.


Other orders of birds are not so well represented ; among

the seedeaters there are some nice Buntings ( e.g . Black-headed

Ortolan, Cretclimar’s, etc.), the Persian Desert Bullfinch (Rhodos-

piza obsoleta), the Yellow Sparrow ( Passer luteiis') in which species

Mr. Nicoll points out that the hens seem to be dimorphic, and

many common birds such as Cutthroats, Zebra-finches, Bengalees,

Java Sparrows, Serins, etc., etc.


The Corvidae are represented by two species only, viz., the

Brown-necked Raven ( Corvus umbrinus ) and the Pied Crow

(C. scapulatus ) and the other families of the Passeres, including

all the insectivorous birds, are entirely unrepresented, an omis¬

sion which will probably shortly be remedied. Owls and true

Hawks are also conspicuously absent, being each represented by

a single example (1) of the Little Owl ( A. gla, 7 tx) (2) of a lovely

Peregrine which has been in the gardens for about seven years;

there are however a few nice Eagles and Buzzards, which were in

very fine condition. Owing to foxes and wild cats hardly any

ducks are kept, but as this deficiency is abundantly made up by

Nature during the winter, there is no necessity to keep them. The

large Order of Limicolse is represented by only three species, the

Stone Curlew, Common Plover, and Black-tailed Godwit, and the

Laridse by a single pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and one

Black-headed Gull. As time goes on, however, the collection

will doubtless be improved in these respects, as several schemes

for some fine new aviaries are only waiting till sufficient funds

are available, to enable them to be carried out.


As regards the aviaries themselves there is not much that

need be said. In a delightful climate with a practical absence of

rain and no need for artificial warmth, aviaries may be of the

simplest form, and an open wire flight boarded at the back and

along half the sides and partially roofed, proves ample protection



