113 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 96 



time of their coming." From investigations made by Canon 

 Tristram it has been ascertained that the word translated 

 '" swallow " should read " swift," meaning the Common 

 Swift (Cypseliis apiis). Their appointed time came after 

 our departure, but a few Sand Martins (Cotile riparia) were 

 seen daily in Palestine, and a large influx of the species was 

 noted two days before we left. In the valley of the Jordan 

 a single individual of the Alpine or White-bellied Swift 

 (Cypselus melha) was observed. 



Very little was seen of our former daily companion the 

 White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), and not much better was 

 the record of the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron pernopterus) . 

 About twoscore of them were counted in the morning of 

 our return trip from Jericho. Fully half of the number was 

 found in the vicinity of a slaughter-pen in the outskirts of 

 Jerusalem. This species outnumbered all others seen that 

 day. For a drive of twenty-five miles the number of birds 

 to be seen was very small. There were a few Ravens, 

 Crested Larks, and Sand Martins, two Kestrels, a Shrike 

 and two Mourning (or Pied) Chats {Saxicola lugens). The 

 last named were seen when we stopped to rest the horses at 

 the Good Samaritan Inn. While the others bought a freshet 0~^ 

 supply of beads I walked outside. Over the barren ground 

 were crawling very many hairy caterpillars that bore a strong 

 resemblance to the tent-caterpillars seen at home. The Chats 

 were collecting these, and evidently were feeding them to 

 their nestlings, for they frequently entered a certain hole be- 

 Ji tween the rocks/ that were built into the roadway. 



From the outskirts of Bethany to the village of Eriha 

 (which is the name given to modern Jericho) the Inn of the 

 Good Samaritan was the only human habitation we passed. If 

 it had not been for the many pilgrims, afoot or on horseback, 

 who were making the journey, the road would have been as 

 lonesome as it was on the day when a certain man in going 

 to Jericho fell among thieves. The landscape then must have 

 been much the same as now. The steep hillsides, devoid of 

 shrubs or trees, are a network of miniature terraces, the 



