The Birds of the Assyrian Monuments and Records. 55 
principal groups of birds which occur in the countries with 
which we are concerned. The number of species of birds 
known to inhabit Persia is estimated at 384, but further 
research will doubtless add to the catalogue. Of the Vultu- 
ridce, I may mention the griffon (Gyps fulvas), and the 
Egyptian species (Neophron per cnopterus). The large Falconidai 
include the Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus), the imperial 
eagle (Aquila heliaca, Sav.), the golden eagle, the white-tailed 
sea eagle (Haliaetus albicilla, L.) ; the osprey (Pandionido?) 
Pandion haliaetus) is common about the Caspian. Besides 
the large kinds of diurnal birds of prey may be mentioned 
falcons of different species, as the peregrine, now employed 
by Persian falconers, the Babylonian and others, and kites 
(Milvus). Of the smaller hawks, we have the sparrow- 
hawk and the kestrel ; the harriers, both hen and marsh, 
buzzards, &c. Of the Strigidce, the great eagle owl (Bubo 
ascalaphns), the long and the short-horned owls, the little 
Scops, and the Athene glaux may be noted. 
Of the order Picariw (fam. Picidai), several kinds of 
woodpeckers; among cuckoos there is the common bird 
and the great spotted species. The bee-eater, hoopoe, king- 
fishers of different kinds, night-jars, swifts, are more or less 
common. Of the order Passeres I may mention shrikes, 
thrushes, nightingales, blackbirds, golden orioles, wagtails, 
finches, various kinds of sparrows, besides our common 
domestic species ; these smaller incessorial birds were doubt- 
less included in the term of " birds destroyers of crops/' 
abicta ekili ; larks, starlings, called little shepherd-birds by the 
Accadians and Assyrians as being so often found with cattle 
and sheep, and the locust birds (Pastor roseus) are found more 
or less common in many parts. Of the family Corvida? one 
meets with the common raven (C. corax), and the smaller 
brown-necked (Corvus umbrinus) of more gregarious habits, 
and crows, chiefly the hooded variety. The jackdaw is 
common in the highlands of Armenia, but rare, if it occurs 
at all, in Persia; rooks occur in Palestine, but not in Assyria, 
and have not been observed in Southern Persia. 
The order Columbidce is well represented, both in species 
and individuals ; pigeons are common everywhere, and tame 
