24 
Rev. H. B. Tristram’s Notes 
Several individuals in the same neighbourhood. From the 
immense numbers of reptilia in the country, this Eagle is pro¬ 
bably generally distributed. 
8. Milvus ater. 
Universally present about the towns and villages, hanging 
over the poultry, but apparently leaving them unmolested for 
the sake of the offal and garbage. 
9. Milvus parasiticus. 
Not so common, and apparently preferring- the wooded dis¬ 
tricts. I have noticed the same distinction in the habits of 
these two species in North Africa. 
10. Falco lanarius ? 
On one occasion, while riding with an Arab guide, I observed 
a falcon of large size rise close to us. The guide, when I 
pointed it out to him, exclaimed, “ Tdir Sakqr” Ta'ir, the 
Arabic for “ bird,” is universally throughout North Africa and 
the East applied to those falcons which are capable of being 
trained for hunting, i. e. “ the bird ” par excellence. Tdir 
el Hohr , “ the noble bird,” is the common appellation of the 
Peregrine and its congeners. “ Sakqr ” I have only heard 
applied to the very large falcons—never to the F. peregrinus or 
F. punicus , both of which are trained by the Arabs for the chase. 
No doubt our specific name u Falco sacer ” is derived, not from 
a Latin source, but from the Arabic trivial name of the species. 
There seems as yet much confusion in the nomenclature of the 
different larger species or races, which to the south and east 
of the Mediterranean take the place of the F. grcenlandicus , 
islandicus, and norvegicus of the North. The bird which I saw 
was nearly as large as a Jer Falcon, and had a very bright 
rufous head, the light colour extending to the back of the neck. 
How far F. sacer , lanarius , cervicalis, biarmicus, and cherrug , 
are distinct species, and what is the geographical range of each, 
seems a question well-worthy the investigation of naturalists 
travelling in the East. 
11. Falco peregrinus. 
I saw either this species, or one closely resembling it, on the 
rocks near Cgesarea. 
