Boros István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 51. (Budapest 1959)

Horváth, L.: The results of the zoological collecting trip to Egypt in 1957, of the Natural History Museum, Budapest 7. The ornithological results

Reef Heron (Egretta schistacea Ehrenb.) It was noticable everywhere along the shores of the Red Sea. I observed a total of 51 specimens from Marsa el 'Alam till Hurghada between 31 October and 5 November. Their dispersion was not uniform ; it was most frequent between Quseir and Bir Safaga, where I noted 35 specimens. One of the two specimens shot (on 5 November in Hurghada) was a snow-white male in breeding plumage, wbilst the other male bagged near Marsa el 'Alam on 1 November had smaller grey spots on the top of its head and on its wings ; nor did it have a breeding plumage. Two of the 51 specimens noted were of a uniform grey color ; I sighted one of them between Marsa el 'Alam and Quseir ; the other one in the port of Quseir. I did not see it N of Hurghada or in the Gulf of Suez. Buff-backed Heron (Bubulcus ibis L.) One of the most characteristical and frequent birds of Egypt, to be seen almost everywhere in the valley of the Nile. I did not observe it on the Red Sea coast. It was common in the oases near the Nile, both in the Lybian and in the Arab Deserts. I noted a total of 3800 specimens between 6 September and 17 November on our route from Alexandria and across the Delta down to Aswan, including the oases Kom Oshim, the Fayum, Kom Ombo and Bir Abbad. The dispersal of the specimens was far from being uniform. It was sporadic in Alexandria and from Alexandria to the main Delta of Rozetta ; there were 90 specimens noted near the Rozetta ; it became more numerous toward Tanta reaching its maximum in the Delta at Benha (400 specimens). It appeared in high numbers yet around Abu Rawash (120 specimens), between Gizeh and Helwan, or Memphis (130 specimens), on the S shores of the Lake Karun (150 specimens), between Sids and Mallawi (300 specimens), between Qena and Abydos (500 specimens), between Qena and Luxor (90 specimens), and at Aswan (1600 specimens). It was but sporadic elsewhere. Due to the well-known habits of the species, I omit any detailed discussion of its occurrences. On one occasion, I succeeded to find their nocturnal site. Staying on the Lord Kitchener island on 26 and 27 October ,1 observed that one flock after the other approached — low over the surface of the river — from a southern direction toward the small crags (rapids) between the island and the western shore, to settle on the highest cliff in the arm of the river and, after it was full, on two excessively high trees of an alley on the uninhabited western shore. The nighting mass of birds consisted, on the basis of two almost exact countings made in two consecutive days, of 1200 specimens. The birds were wholly mute during their twilight flight. I observed its nesting only in Cairo, namely on the immense trees of the Gezira island and the Zoological Gardens. In the second half of September, the birds stayed at their nests in both colonies but I could not make certain about their breeding at that time, though this seemed very probable on account of the behaviour of the birds. The 4 collected specimens (1 in Abu Rawash and 3 in Kom Oshim) proved to be males. Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides Scop.) I noted it but once ; there were 5 specimens on the S shore of the Lake Karun. This relatively early fall migration note verifies the rule also in the