Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine . 65 
obtained the eggs of O. glandarius, but exclusively in the nests 
of C. cornix. In Spain* on the contrary, Lord Lilford this 
spring took them from the nests of Pica caudata; and our Al¬ 
gerian specimens were invariably in the nests of P. mauritanica . 
Of the Carrion-Crow (C. cor one) we never obtained a specimen, 
and it does not appear to exist in Palestine. 
Two days after we had bagged our first Hooded Crows at 
Jenin, we met with large flocks of Jackdaws, Corvus monedula 
at Nablous, where they congregate in hundreds over the old 
vale of Shechem, nesting in the rocks of Ebal and Gerizim, but 
chiefly in the fine old churches, which, in their decay, provide 
the devout Moslem with mosques below, and the less dignified 
Jackdaw with a home over head. We had made it a rule to 
consider any day ornithologically lost on which we had not pro¬ 
cured some additional species to add to our list; and great were 
the rejoicings when, after a long blank day with nothing new, a 
Jackdaw was brought down towards evening in an orange- 
garden, to the great scandal of its proprietor, who growled forth 
that those unclean Christian dogs would eat anything. The 
common Jackdaw also resorts in great numbers to the Mosque 
of Omar in Jerusalem; but these are the only two very large 
colonies we observed. It occurred elsewhere, but not in great 
numbers. I shot one near Nazareth, and saw a few at a mined 
temple, Thelthathah, near Hermon. It may thus be looked upon 
as rather local. In the Jordan valley and in Eastern Palestine 
its place appears to be taken by the closely-affined or climatic 
variety C. collar is of Drummond, with which we frequently met. 
The history of this last bird is somewhat curious. The type 
specimen was obtained in Macedonia by our President, Col. Drum¬ 
mond-Hay, many years ago (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist, xviii. p. 11), 
and sent by him to the late Mr. Strickland (P. Z. S. 1846, p. 43). 
It then slumbered in peace for many years, till our friend Mr. 
Simpson brought it from the Dobrudska (Ibis, I860, p. 385). V 
I am not aware of any other specimens being known until we 
again met with it last year. In habits and voice it no way differs 
from the common species ; but its lighter plumage at once attracts 
attention. We saw it occasionally in the Ghor ; but the only 
large colonies we met with were at Rabbah (the ancient Rabbath 
N. S.-VOL. II. f 
