142 The Birds of the Assyrian Monuments and Records. 
Dr. Tristram * has kindly read over the proof sheets of this paper, 
and has favoured me with a few remarks, which I here insert. 
Referring to domesticated ducks and geese by the Assyrians 
(p. 51), he says : " Our goose could hardly be domesticated thus ; the 
Indian goose does not reach so far west. Assyria is too hot for the 
goose, and I suspect for any duck either." 
On page 52 he refers to the very interesting and wonderfully 
perfect fresco-painting of ducks and geese in the Boulac Museum, the 
oldest painting in the world. 
Page 54. Dr. Tristram confirms Mr. Blanford's remark on the birds 
of Mesopotamia by his own observations in that country in 1881. 
Page 71. "I found Hoplopterus spinosus common in Mesopotamia ; 
it breeds where the lapwing does not. The text would equally apply 
to either bird." 
Page 72. " The hoopoe would be one of the most conspicuous and 
striking birds to the Assyrians ; it is very plentiful." 
Page 74. Sedge and reed warblers. " I do not agree with you as 
to the species of warblers. Those you mention are very rare. Cetti's 
warbler, for instance, is much more common." 
Page 75. "The actual papyrus bird is Acrocephalus stentorins, a 
noisy fellow ; it builds nests like those of the reed warbler." This 
species therefore may fairly be considered to be the bird of the reeds ; 
it does not differ much in structure or dimensions from the European 
reed warbler. 
Page 78. As to rooks in Assyria, Dr. Tristram says that Ainsworth 
has mistaken his birds when he mentions rooks as occurring there. 
Dr. Tristram thinks jackdaws are the birds meant, as represented on 
the monuments with their nests and young (see p. 43). " Jackdaws 
are to rooks as 100 to 1." 
Page 1 04. " The falcon of Mesopotamia used by falconers is the 
Falco sacer, which is as large as the gyr falcon." 
Page 110. Dr. Tristram says : "You ought to find places for the 
bee eater and the roller ; so common, beautiful, and striking birds 
must have been known to the Assyrians." If we read sarrat kipri, 
"queen of the regions," instead of s'arrad kipri, "terror of the 
regions," for the " honey bird," then the bee eater of heavenly beauty 
may be the laliari of the Accadian column. 
* See the author's interesting " Ornithological Notes of a Journey through 
Sjria, Mesopotamia, and Southern Armenia in 1881," in the Ibis. 
