AVES. 225 



Caccabis chukar, G. R. Gray. Seen in the Widy 'Arabah and in 

 some numbers south of Bir es Sebci in Judaea. A bird of this species was 

 tame about and in the house at the resting-place at Stora between Beirllt 

 and Baalbeck. 



C. Heyi, Temm. Hey's partridge. First met with in Widy Nasb, 

 and thence throughout Sinai to the Gh6r. On the west side of the 

 'Arabah it was especially abundant. Rather dry eating, and much smaller 

 than the last species. Confined to Nubia, Egypt, and Sinai, and reaching 

 the Dead Sea by the 'Arabah. 



Coturnix communis, Bosm. Quails were seen by me in the Ghor. 

 Mr. Holland obtained quails in Sinai. 



Rallus aquaiicus, Linn. Water rail. One was obtained close to the 

 Dead Sea in a salt pool. 



Grus communis, Bechst. Crane. At Tell el Milh (Moladah) a con- 

 siderable flock of cranes was met with ; they were extremely shy. For 

 the next two marches, close to Gaza, their trumpeting was not unfre- 

 quently heard at night. Mr. Wyatt found cranes constantly at Tor in 

 Sinai. 



CEdicnemus scolopax, Gmel. Thick-knee. One of these birds was 

 brought to me by an Arab, who had shot it close to the Ghor in the 

 'Arabah. 



^^gialites asiatica. Pall, Caspian plover. Several of these, of which 

 one was shot, was feeding along the shores of the Gulf of 'Akabah. 



Vanellus cristatus, Meyer. Lapwing. Single birds were seen several 

 times in the Gh6r ; large flocks occurred on the Judsean plain. 



Gallinago media, Leach. Snipe. Several were seen in the Ghdr. 



Rhynchoea capensis, Linn. Painted snipe. From the notes I took on 

 the spot and the descriptions and figures I have since consulted, I have 

 no hesitation in referring to this species the snipes occurring in the salt 

 swamps at Tell Abu Hareireh, a few miles east from Gaza. There were 

 three or four birds, but unfortunately I failed to shoot one, although I 

 obtained the chance. One would rise from the rushes and, after a short 

 flight near the ground, pitch himself into the mud again and commence a 



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