Birds by the Wayside 131 



each other." There were counted fifteen birds in the trees 

 and ten on the island, in a description of which one would 

 make mention of a long, black, occipital plume ; of a broad, 

 black streak over the eye; of black primaries and gray on 

 wing coverts and the upper parts of body; in short it would 

 be noticed that the birds had all the identification marks of 

 the Common Heron, and none of those of the White Stork. 

 There were numerous holes in the large branches of the old 

 tree which Jackdaws were entering, and several Starlings 

 were on a ledge of one of the minarets. Turtledoves and 

 Rock Doves were about the mosque. Many of the latter 

 were fed in its court-yard, as is the case in that of the Baya- 

 zid Mosque, in consequence of which it is known as the 

 Pigeon Mosque. A Common Kite {Milvus ictinkis) was 

 among the birds seen. About the cypress trees on the hill- 

 side were many Hooded Crows, one of which was carrying 

 nesting material, while overhead four screaming Magpies 

 flew back and forth. The Magpie {Pica rus^tica) was seen 

 for the first time in Constantinople. It is a species easily 

 recognized on the wing, and the infrequency with which it 

 was met in Europe was rather surprising. From the foliage 

 of the cypress trees issued much twittering of small birds, 

 but glimpses of the singers were rarely caught ; however, the 

 Great Titmouse was a trifle bolder and came into view sev- 

 eral times. From the ferry-boat on the return trip to the 

 city were seen thirty-eight Cormorants, and the three species 

 of Gulls that frequented the harbor. 



One morning at eight o'clock three of us started for Be- 

 bek and Robert College ; the others spent the forenoon buy- 

 ing beads and similarly necessary articles. We met them on 

 the steamboat that touched at Bebek at two o'clock and com- 

 pleted with them the trip up the Bosphorus to the waters of 

 the Black Sea. That was a day among days to hold in mem- 

 ory, with perfect weather lending its charm to the pleasures 

 of a boat-ride that probably does not have its equal on this 

 earth in alluring, picturesque, suburban scenery. It was the 

 human touches added to natural beauty that made the shift- 



