308 



THE NATURALISI'. 



11. Lanius collurio, Linn. — Eedbacked Shrike. 

 Enneoctonus coUurio, Klein. 



Enneoetonus sjoinitorques, Klein. 



I was nnicli struck with the great difierence in size, that was so apparent 

 between the English species, and that shot by Mr. Young. The male in my 

 own collection is much larger, and the reddish colour is not so preponderating 

 in the British, as in the foreign specimen. It is a yery common bird in Syria, 

 in the lower regions of whi :h country the present specimen was shot. 



12. HmuNDO Savigne, LeacJi. — Oriental chimney swallow. 

 Cecrops Savigrd, Boie, 



Hirundo rudica orientalis, Schl. 



This biicl is similar to H. rustica, with this exception, that the parts 

 which in our familiar species are white, are in the above bird, of a bright 

 reddish colour. It is seldom found in Europe, though Mr. Young found it 

 abundant in Lower Egypt, on his return from JSTubia in February. 



CiNNYEis OSEA, B.P. — Sunbird. 



Nectarineaossa,'Q,V. 



This is a great rarity, and was fully described by Isli. Tristram in the 

 ^ Ibis" 1865, where a very beautiful plate will be found. Mr. Young says, 

 " I shot several specimens in the thickets of Ain es Sultan, Jericho, where 

 they were seen in numbers sucking honey out of the flowers. The female is 

 an unpretending little bird of brown plumage, ]\ir. Tristram found occasional 

 specimens both north and south of Jericho, but their home seems to be in 

 the neighbourhood of Elisha's spring." Until brought into notice by Mr. 

 Tristram, the species was represented by a single specimen in Antinori's col- 

 lection, though previously described by some authors as a Humming-bird. 



14. EiiBEPJZA jiELANOCEPHALA, Scop. — Elackheaded Bunting. 



Xantliormus mucasicus, Pall. 



EusjAza m,elanoeexj?t,ala, Bp. 



This bird is very common ; it is one of the sweetest songsters of Syria j 

 it might very well be taken for a canary, if its song were a little more pro- 

 longed, but it is pfovokiugly " short and sweet." It somevv^hat resembles 

 our E. citrineUa, in its habits. It was curious to see how pertinaciously 

 tliis bird always chose the topmost twig of a bush for its perch. It was 

 never satisfied with an inferior position. A distinction must be drawn 

 between this species, and E. schcen'clus, which is sometimes known as the 

 Elackheaded bunting, but for which the name of Eeedbunting is more appro-, 

 priate. 



