10.00 and can be ordered by paying this amount into Dutch giro account 01 50 697 
in the name of Dutch Birding Association, Amsterdam, The Netherlands or by 
sending the amount in cash to: Dutch Birding Association, Postbus 75611, 1070 
AP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 
Stirling, D. (1993). Some bird observations from Tunisia. Typescript. List of 78 
species seen and counted from 28 March - 11 April 1991 in several localities. 
TO THE EDITOR OF OSME BULLETIN 
MaxKasparek (Sandgrouse 14:3) gives an interesting list of records of the Sociable 
Plover Qtettusia gregaria in Turkey. It may be of interest to add a couple of alleged 
but questionable records of the breeding of the species in that country. In the 
collection of the Natural History Museum, Tring, are two clutches of eggs 
ascribed to this species from "Asia Minor". These were part of the Stuart Baker 
Collection. The first was a clutch of four taken on 3 July 1895. No other 
information accompanies this clutch, nor is any collector identified, though his 
handwritten slip is pasted into Baker's manuscript catalogue. The second was a 
clutch of four collected on 19 May 1901 by someone called Bianchi, from whom 
Baker obtained it in exchange. Bianchi is quoted as saying "No nest, eggs laid in 
a footprint and lined with moss and weeds". 
Fraud or error can by no means be ruled out in these cases. The eggs of C. gregaria 
are not distinguishable from those of Vanellus vanellus (though they are larger 
and slightly darker than those of C. leucura). However, I feel that it may be useful 
to place on record this information, however doubtful. 
Michael Walters, Bird Group, Natural History Museum, Tring, Hertfordshire 
HP23 6AP, U.K. 
Reviews 
Robinson, D. and Chapman A. (1992). Birds of Southern Arabia. Motivate 
Publishing, EXXON (The Arabian Heritage Series) : pp. 104; no price . Obtainable 
from Motivate Publishing, London House, 26/40 Kensington High Street, London 
W8 2PF. 
In this nicely produced volume, the authors celebrate their several years of 
birding together in the U AE by presenting intimate colour photos of about a third 
of the 370 spp. on the appended UAE check-list. The text takes us on a tour of the 
various habitats of south eastern Arabia - Islands and Heathlands, Seashore and 
Shoals, Mangroves and Lagoons, Parks and Gardens, Cultivations, The Desert, 
and Mountains and Wadis. In doing so, it vividly captures the thrill to be had of 
getting really close to birds (mainly migrants, but including some of the steadily 
growing number of residents) apparently fearless of man in their Arabian setting. 
40 
