202 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 
shrill piping and whistling of the dark, shadowy 
shore birds. 
Besides Gulls, the visitors to the Nile may see 
Terns, for there are some seven or eight species, 
but naturally these birds keep nearer the sea than 
elsewhere, yet it is pleasant to cherish the hope, 
founded on frequent reports, that Terns as well as 
several other birds that love the water are somewhat 
extending their area. Owing to the new barrage 
schemes making great permanent inland lakes 
which never existed before, the birds find a new 
home suitable to them, and which they have already 
begun to show they thoroughly appreciate. At 
home and in many other countries, the great 
reservoirs which supply the cities have always been 
favourite bird haunts, and it seems that here is 
one more benefit bestowed on Egypt consequent 
on British occupation. When at Lake Menzaleh 
this last winter, one of the most wonderful sights 
was the number of Terns, and on one occasion 
when I was trying to get near to Flamingo, a great 
flock of many hundreds of the large Caspian Tern 
came near enough for identification. 
