The systematic X-ray and optical coverage of low-latitude unidentified gamma-ray sources, aiming at sources with high X-ray/optical flux ratio, seems one of the most promising ways to spot INS candidate counterparts. We have focussed on two middle-latitude, probably galactic, EGRET sources: 3EG J0616-3310 and 3EG J1249-8330. Here we report on X-ray observations of the two gamma-ray error boxes performed with XMM-Newton and on their optical follow-up carried on with the Wide Field Imager at the ESO/MPG 2.2m telescope. Less than half of the ~300 sources detected by the X-ray coverage have no optical counterparts. Among those, we have selected few interesting sources with f_X_/f_opt_>100, which we consider promising INS candidates.

Cone search capability for table J/A+A/458/245/table1 (Main characteristics of the 8 EPIC observations of 3EG J0616-3310 (Obs=1-4) & 3EG J1249-8330 (Obs=5-8))