The Birds of the Assyrian Monuments and Records. 79 
(19.) This shepherd bird (Pastor roseus) is noted also as a 
devourer of locusts; hence, its name of "locust bird," and 
it is in this character that its name occurs in the Assyrian 
records. In Accadian it is called KHU RUB, i.e., "insect" or 
"locust bird," and its Assyrian equivalent is identical, viz., 
'e-ri-bu (>^\ HfT^T " a l° cus ^*" This bird was 
known to the Arabs by the name of smurmur, and is said 
by Russell, in his " Natural History of Aleppo," to be held 
sacred by the Turks on account of its destruction of locusts. 
The Pastor roseus "is quite a feature" in Mesopotamia, as 
Dr. Ainsworth writes to me. It occurs in Palestine, Syria, 
Asia Minor, and South Eastern Europe, but has not been 
observed by Major St. John and Mr. Blandford in any part 
of Persia. It is, however, abundant in Armenia, the Cau- 
casus, and Western Persia, and has occasionally visited this 
country. Its food, besides locusts and other insects, consists 
of various kinds of fruits. In Corfu it haunts the orchards 
early in the month of June, feeding almost entirely on 
mulberries ; hence it is known to the peasantry of that 
island by the name of scamnophagus (o-Ka/jLvo^ayos), i.e., 
" the mulberry eater." The identity of this bird with the 
KHU HUB and the 'e-ri-bu of the Accadian and Assyrian lists 
is thus settled beyond dispute. 
(20.) Among the Corvidw, or crow family, several kinds 
are mentioned, though it is not always easy to speak posi- 
tively as to the names of the species. First comes the 
world- wide-known bird, the raven (Corvus cor ax). This bird 
was known by the name of a-ri-bu ^*")» anc ^ 
kha-khar . The expression of " eye-picker," 
budhur ini (^*- TTTEJ jJ^J £r£ Spf ■ )? is found in the list 
above the name of the raven, and doubtless refers especially 
to this bird, and to the common crow as well. Khakhar is 
clearly imitative of the "cawing" family; Aribu is the Heb. 
oreb (^.i*) "a raven," and the Arab, ghoreb (clyi) '> the 
name is generally referred to a Hebrew root, meaning " to be 
black," which is quite suitable to the bird, which may have 
thus obtained its name from the black colour of its plumage. 
I rather incline, however, to the opinion that the word is 
