639 
1921 .] the Near East and Tropical East Africa. 
103 birds examined from Nablus (northern Judaean high¬ 
lands), lower Jordan Valley, Dead Sea, Sinai, Suez Canal, 
southern Palestine, Borollos beach in the northern Egyptian 
Delta, Nadi Natrun (western Desert of Egypt), coast west 
from Alexandria to Solium, and from Ailet in southern 
Italian Eritrea. 
In fresh autumn plumage the upper parts are more sandy 
coloured than in either cinnamomina or zion, and altogether 
much paler than in maculata. The under parts have the 
breast-spotting small and much concealed by the feather 
edgings. Birds in worn plumage are very variable, and this 
variation seems to depend on the amount of glare or chemical 
influence to which the individual has been subjected. Thus, 
birds from the Wadi Natrun in late winter or spring turn a 
sort of dirty fawn colour, those from the lower Jordan 
Valley becoming merely pale sandy colour. Birds from the 
coastal plain of Palestine bleach very little. Under parts 
generally whiter than in zion. 
Three birds from Nablus are nearer hrachyura than zion, 
and are the only birds about which I have a doubt regarding 
their correct determination. 
I find that birds from Jericho are identical with others in 
similar plumage from the Wadi Natrun and Solium. 
Breeding birds from Suez are identical with Jordan Valley 
birds in similar plumage. 
Two males from Ailet in Italian Eritrea I am unable to 
separate from hrachyura. 
The size of hrachyura is variable to a slight degree 
according to locality. 
8 males from northern Sinai average 106*8 in wing. 
to to 
7 males from southern Palestine average 104*5 in wing. 
to to 
9 males from the Suez Canal average 104*2 in wing. 
17 males from Wadi Natrun average 104 in wing. 
21 males from west of Alexandria average 103 in wing. 
2 males from Eritrea have wings of 103 and 104. 
The average for all localities is 102*1 for 70 males and 
97*6 for 33 females. Maximum wing for males 109, and 
2 u 2 
