84 Rev. H. B. Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine, 
was the only one of my friends who saw it this time : he fell in 
with a small flock near Hebron. Merops viridis, L., also occurs 
but rarely. It was shot by Mr. Herschell on the banks of the 
Jordan, but we were not so fortunate. Jerdon distinguishes the 
Egyptian bird, the M. viridis of Riipp., from the Indian M. viri¬ 
dis of Linnseus. If they are distinct, the Palestine bird must 
be the Egyptian species. It is there very common, and, unlike 
the Merops apiaster, is a permanent resident. Probably, had 
not our explorations been rudely interrupted on the east side of 
the Dead Sea, we should have found it in the Safieh. All three 
species have a wide lateral range, but none of them appear to 
extend into China. 
The only remaining group of the Eissirostral birds is that of 
the Kingfishers, of which the Holy Land supplies us with three 
species, all permanent residents. Of these, our own little gem, 
Alcedo ispida , is scattered everywhere throughout the country 
wherever there are streams, and also along the Mediterranean 
coasts; but it is nowhere very abundant, though evidently un¬ 
affected by climate, fishing indifferently in the little torrents of 
the Lebanon, among the ruined columns of Tyre, or in the 
seething swamps of the Jordan valley. All three species resort 
to the shores of the Dead Sea, attracted by the shoals of fishes 
which are brought down by the freshwater streams and soon 
stupified by the brine of the lake. One morning, on the western 
side, Mr. Shepherd shot all three species within a few minutes of 
each other. Generally, however, we met with A. ispida in more se¬ 
cluded localities and on the banks of smaller streams than the 
others, and even in ditches. In the Lebanon it is the only species. 
The Black-and-white Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis (Linnseus), 
is the commonest and most conspicuous species in the country. 
We first saw it on the seashore in winter, when, in the months 
of November and December, immense numbers resort to the 
sea-coast. They were particularly abundant aboutTyre and Sidon, 
and all the way to Mount Carmel, fringing the shore, and ho¬ 
vering by dozens over the sea about a hundred yards from land, 
and occasionally perching with loud cries on an outlying rock. 
At this time they were very wary, and cost us much trouble to 
procure. During the most stormy gales of winter they con- 
