45 
Reminiscences of Egypt. 
disproportion in the sexes. Of the six or seven specimens killed, 
all but one were adult males. Of those I saw, but did not 
shoot, all were males. 
12. Ealco tinnunculus. Kestrel. 
Excessively abundant, and singularly tame and familiar. I 
have approached as near as ten yards to one on the ground, 
engaged in regaling itself on a lizard, or mouse, before it took 
the least notice of my intrusion. 
13. Accipiteu nisus. Sparrow Hawk. 
Not uncommon, but rather local; principally frequenting the 
groves of gum-acacia. 
14. Milyus iEGYPTius. Arabian Kite. 
The most abundant of any bird of prey in Egypt; especially 
frequenting the towns and villages, where they did not appear 
at all to molest the pigeons or poultry. These birds used to 
follow our boat in flocks, picking up anything we threw over¬ 
board into the river like sea-gulls. They seemed to live prin¬ 
cipally on small lizards, and to be very harmless and inoffensive. 
This species is not included in Mr. Gould's work on European 
birds ; but as it is so very abundant in Egypt, and not less so 
about Alexandria than farther south, I feel little doubt but that 
it may occasionlly be met with in the south-eastern portions of 
Europe. The tail in this species is only slightly forked ; the 
beak is pale straw-colour; the irides are brown-—characteristics 
which at once distinguish it from Milvus ater of Europe, which 
has the beak black and the irides yellow. Legs very short. 
Feet small and weak. 
15. Elanus melanopterus. Black-winged Kite. 
Gould’s Birds of Europe, vol. i. pi. 31. 
Abundant all through the country. In the months of No¬ 
vember and December I generally saw single birds; but by the 
middle of January they were almost always to be seen in pairs. 
The food of this species seems to be chiefly small lizards and 
large insects. The feet and toes are yellow, and more fleshy than 
is usual in the Raptores. Irides of the most brilliant orange- 
red. I once saw this species in the Campagna, near Rome, 
which is, I believe, further north than it usually ranges. 
