erica mile g St aia eer + oe = eNotes en nae oe aes LOL AT 9 gba rae ve i Taal Es o ee afro ~<- Sp gy oo, gt Oe al eth “wren - See COTS, Be eg OU oye < ; z bait - rahe. es ceire é Fon eet Sw ee we 3 pees a Se Seater we ~ NG SON Sh NES ONS - Tr NY ~~ en . oa, e .¢ = a — La f a Ae Z f g Cas ————_ ‘Ss BSS a g —< : 4 ‘ | | | : = | Z ; c~ C Soe are aN acs 2 Gs | eS = j : / te \ v af = CSd5 y » — “ w = > . S id 7 | SS 2 se . q eC € : 3 sss ~ ~ N ——— a, 4 Pe ~ Ne \' oo ~ CS SKE ” SSN ‘ \ . a 2 < “= cK Fa ~S aS <<< Sy ire a ff“ ae . SS < Scat ; & NS « Ne | : es x ~ ‘7 =~ ee « & = ~ \ ~ g =o ON WN id OF Pape aN - ff 7 ar _ oN { ( fa = E Se SN \ y ; = , N - SS ~ 7 oh A, = ~ SS { vs / e SAR Sy, AS a fap me SN G e ; G | Gy Ww Or / . SY : {SAG Gill \ N c : x < i Me ‘ S Ni | 3 | Z kf NN ZC BA eat Wit, ; j | | — \ , : 7 | ‘ AX SSI 7 0 \ SAN ese Cy } ( Terie N SS = ST ee, RS SSS Cr fy RAN tg . ~ . ‘Md \ AN | a \. Wi of 1 Z ; ‘ WAG . See A 4 f : \n ae se 7 g 4) es Ae Ss ae irc : é Y Ay;; a - ; é Ss St hier LAE a ... lie se a \ Ss / o tqre / “ : 3 ra E SS " i. : (ea < 2 SOs Oe : f é SN Cae Evi SS RNA i 5 A /, 1 2 ~~ | . : 0; YW? vg F / / he, i sg) a Ce i) L; Ga : | ¢ f I , Z If Wee Ee ; | C J Ue Fi | J A= ; A oll BY sd , /, Z Z RAIMA Zee ! / thin NAS ZG . fz \if 4 WL, Kar S= LG 7 a y ; | ; = <—; = « s ~ NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAL. Vou. XX., 1913. NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE. EF Fournal of Zoology IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRING MUSEUM. EDITED BY Tort Hon. WALTER ROTHSCHILD, F.R.S., Px.D., Dr. ERNST HARTERT, anp Dr. K. JORDAN. Woe. 1913. (WITH FIFTEEN PLATES.) IssuED At THE ZooLtocicaL Museum, Trine. PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON & VINEY, Lpv., LONDON AND AYLESBURY, 1913—1914, ieee. 4 i to CONTENTS OF VOLUME XX. (191 GENERAL SUBJECTS. Expedition to the Central Western Sahara by Ernst Hartert (Plates I.-XII. and XV.): I. Narrative 2 2 : OLDFIELD ‘THOMAS II. Mammals. TI. Ruminants. Ernst Harterr . IV. Birds. Ernst Harrerr . : : V. Reptiles and Batrachians. Ernsr Harrert VI. Coleoptera. L. von Heypen . VII. Lepidoptera. WaAtrer Roruscuiip VIII. Siphonaptera, Kart Jorpan and N, Crarues eee HILD TX. Pflanzen. G. SCHWEINFURTH . X. Névroptéres. Lonorn Navas . ; XI. On Ovis lervia Pallas. Watrer Rorascuiip XII. Diptera. Ernest E. Austen (Part 1) XII. Rhynchota—Homoptera. W. L. Distanr XIV. Odonata. F, Ris ‘ : . : ; XIVa. Corrections to No. VIL fie pinion’): WaALrerR KornscHiLp .« XV. Rhynchota—Heteroptera. G. Hory ATH . XVI. Hymenoptera (PI. XV.) F. D. Morice . XVII. Orthoptéres. Ianacto Borivar . MAMMALIA. Some Notes on the Genera Zaglossus and Tachyglossus. List of Mammals obtained by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, Ernst Hartert and Carl mere in Western Algeria during 1913, OLpriELp THOMAS See subject ‘‘ General,” Nos, IT., IIf. and XI. WALTER RoTHSCHILD AVES. Ornithologische Ergebnisse der Reise von Paul Spatz in die Algerische Sahara im Sommer 1912 (mit einer Routenskizze), O.Grar Zepiirz Critical Notes on the types of little-known species of Neotropical Birds. Part II. C, E, Hetimayr On some Australian forms of Zyto. Watrer Roruscuitp and Ernst HARTER? . Der Wanderfalke und die Peas ctias, Benet Brera . Ornithologische Miszellen aus dem Indo-Australischen Gebiet. II. Teil. ERwin SPRESEMANN . 3). PAGES 97 28—33 33-30 37—16 76—84 85—108 109—143 143—144 145—163 444458 459— 460 460—465 465—467 468—469 469 592—597 598—602 603—615 188—191 586—591 98 — 37 164—186 227—256 280—284 284—288 289—324 ec) 6. Die Végel von Bali, Erwin StreseMANN : ; ? 7. List of the Collections of Birds made by Albert 8. Meek in the lower ranges of the Snow Mountains, on the Hilanden River, and on Mount Goliath, during the years 1910 and 1911, Watrer Roruscntip and Ernst Harrerr 8. See subject “General,” No. IV . REPTILIA AND BATRACHIA. 1. See subject “General,” No. V. COLEOPTERA. 1, The Oriental Anthribidae of the Van de Poll Collection. K. Jorpan. 2. Some New Anthribidae from Africa. K, Jorpan See subject “General,” No. VI. . LEPIDOPTERA. 1. Descriptions of two new Colias and some African Syntomidae. WALTER RoruscHiLp 5 2. New Lithosianae (continuation from Vol, XIX.) Watrer Rorascui.p 3. Some New Lepidoptera from German New Guinea. Water Roruscainp , 4, Notes on Jxias undatus Butler, with the description of the unknown female. Warrer Rorascnitp 5. Contributions to a Knowledge of the Sub-families Oenochrominae and Hemitheinae of Geometridae. Louis B. Provr 6. Notes on Palaearctic Zygaenidae. K. JorpAN ; : . 7. Some unfigured Syntomidae (Plates XIII. and XIV.) Wauvrer Rornscump 8. Description of Two New Syntomids, Wa.rer Rorascninp. 9, See subject “General,” Nos, VII. and X1Va. SIPHONAPTERA. 1 Stphonaptera collected by Mr. Robin Kemp in Tropical Afriea, K. Jorpan and N. Cartes Roruscuiip 2, See subject “General,” No, VIII. Diptera, Hymenoptera, Newroptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, Rhynchota. See subject “General,” Nos. X. and XII.—_XVII.__, INDEX , PAGES 325—387 473—5b27 37—76 76—84 257—377 582—585 85—108 187—188 192—226 278—279 279 388— 442 442443 470—472 591 109—143 and 469 528—581 143—144 444—615 617—656 LIST OF PLATES IN VOLUME XxX. I.—XI. Photographs from the Sahara, taken by E. Hartert, XII. Map of the Algerian Sahara, By E. and Cl. Hartert. XIII. - Syntomidae. By Horace Knight. | xiv.J XV. Hymenoptera, from photographs by F. D. Morice. The Parts of this Volume were issued as follows : a 3: 4, . 1, containing pages 1—256 and Plates I.—XII., issued February 24th, 1913. containing pages 257—472, issued June 17th, 1913. containing pages 473—615 and Plates XIIT.—XV., issued October 21st, 1913, containing pages 617—656, issued February 1914. ERRATA. Page 15, line 12 from top, read 106 instead of 102. 29, No. 8, the subspecific name is misspelt and should be rozsikae ; see footnote on p, 589. 75, line 18 from bottom, add “nearly” between the last two words “and all.” 143, top line, the generic name should be Phthorimaea. 237, line 11 from bottom, should read: Fringilla fuliginosa, Wied, Beitr. Naturg. Bras. ete. 350, line 20 from top, the generic name should be Lucichla. 475, line 10 from bottom, read: Clytomyias, not Clytomyia. 485, lines 19 and 20 from top, read musschenbroekii instead of muschenbrocki. » 522, No, 212, read magnifica magnifica instead of magnificus. ,, 936, line 2 from top, read felis instead of felix. » 542, No. 19, specifie name should read: Ayparetes not hyperetes. 3, I XO, NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE, A Fournal of Zoology. EDITED BY Tae Hoy. WALTER ROTHSCHILD, F.R.S., Pu.D., Dr. ERNST HARTERT, ann Dr. K. JORDAN. VOL. XX. No. 1. Paces 1—256. Prates I.—XII. Issuep Frsruary 240, av vHE ZoonocicaL Museum, Trina. PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON & VINEY, Lp, LONDON AND AYLESBURY, 1913. Ls bo . CRITICAL Vou. XX. NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAL EDITED BY WALTER ROTHSCHILD, ERNST HARTERT, and KARL JORDAN. CONTENTS OF NO. J. EXPEDITION TO THE CENTRAL WESTERN SAHARA BY ERNST HARTERT (Puates I.— XI. anp Map, Piare XIT.) TI, Narrative . Mammars . Roumiants . Birps V. Reprites and Barracutans . COLEOPTERA . Leprpoprrera . SIPHONAPTERA . . PFLANZEN ORNITHOLOGISCHE ERGEBNISSE DER REISE VON PAUL SPATZ IN DIE ALGERISCHE SAHARA IM SOMMER 1912 (Ahit einer Routenskizze) DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW COLIAS AND SOME AFRICAN SYNZOMIDAE , . SOME NOTES ON THE GENERA ZAGLOSSUS AND TACHYGLOSSUS NEW ‘LITHOSIANAE (Continuation FROM Vor, XIX.) . NOTES ON THE TYPES OF LITTLE-KNOWN SPECIES OF WNEO- TROPICAL BIRDS.—Parr IT. . Oldfield Thomas Ernst Hartert Ernst Hartert Ernst Hartert L. von Heyden Walter Rothschild . Karl Jordan and N. Charles Rothschild G@, Schweinfurth O. Graf Zedlitz Walter Rothschild . Walter Rothschild . Walter Rothschild . CO, E. Hellmayr Paars 197) 28—33 33—37 37—76 76—84 85—108. 109—143 143—144 145—163 164—186 187—188 188—191 192—226 to wo =~ — 256 Lis] - : ad = v g Vol. XX. FEBRUARY 1913. No. 1. ‘EXPEDITION TO THE CENTRAL WESTERN SAHARA. By ERNSI HARTERT, Pu.D. [Pintes I.—XI. and Map (Pl. XII). EXPLANATION OF SOME ARAB AND OTHER WORDS USED IN THE NARRATIVE. Ain = source. (Water rising from the ground, artesian wells and others.) Berber = the original inhabitants of Africa Minor, to which the Kabyles, Shauia, Zenata, Chaamba, Touareg and others belong. Bir, plural Biar = artificial wells, generally with artificial walls. Bordj = vest-houses; generally used for the rest-houses built by the French military authorities, intended for officers or men, but also permitted to other Europeans, Chaambi, plural Chaamba = a desert tribe of Berber origin. Formerly dreaded robbers, like the Touareg, now generally peaceful. Excellent camel-men and travellers, Chott = salt lake, but mostly dry ; depression with salt, where sometimes water stands after rain, Dhomran = Traganum nudatum. Plant which is very good food for camels, Erg (also Areq) = Region of the Sand-dunes. Foggara, plural Feqgaquir = subterranean aqueduct, in galleries, in the central Sahara, Gara, plural Gour = “ witnesses,” or remains of higher plateaus, in form of flat- topped hills or mountains. Gmira = larger or smaller pyramid-shaped stoneheaps serving as landmarks, by which to find the way. Hammada = stony desert, rocky plateau. Hassi = wells due in sandy soil or in rocks; generally used for wells without artificial walls, but in the farther south used for almost all wells built by men. (Apparently not Arab, but Berber). Mehari = riding camel—a special breed. Oucd = river, or in the Sahara more generally river-bed, as rivers there very seldom have water. Sehcha or Sebkha = depression with salt and salsolaceous plants ; dry portions of Cott, generally with some vegetation, sometimes under water, Talha = acacias, Tilmas = depression in an oued with water-holes ; water-holes. The spelling of the geographical names is generally that of the French maps by Prudhomme, Niox, and Nardin, I. NARRATIVE. A ma having made three lengthy visits to Algeria, the ornithological results : of which have been published in Novitutes Zoologicae, vol. xviii. pp. 456-950, aud having become well acquainted with the birds of the Northern Algerian Sahara, Mr. Walter Rothschild wished to extend our knowledge of the fauna of the Western Sahara farther southwards. He therefore asked me to make an expedition to In-Salah, the principal oasis of ‘idikelt, in the centre of the 1 (2) Western Sahara, in order to explore the ornis of those parts of the desert, and to collect other animals and birds as well, as far as time and opportunities permitted. We obtained, with the kind help of our friend Dr. H. C. Nissen, in Alger, the kindest possible letters of recommendation from the Governor-General of Algeria, his brother, the chief of his cabinet, and from the military authorities to the commanding officers in the south, and completed our ontfit in Alger and Biskra, which we left on February 20, 1912. I was fortunate to be accompanied by Mr. Carl Hilgert, who had been with us to El-Oued in 1909 and to Ghardaia in 1911. The camels in Biskra have not a good name, and I was warned not to buy any, because they were not accustomed to arduous travels, and therefore not to be recommended for a journey-to In-Salah and back. Thus I only hired the necessary animals and men as far as Touggourt, and I believe this was the right course, although more expensive. The weather was glorious, no more magnificent day being possible: a cloudless sky, calm and warm, and the desert greener than we had ever seen it before. It had rained much, I believe chiefly in November and December, and a great amount of small vegetation and countless flowers were seen almost everywhere. From Biskra one passes first through fields, and then through a clayey and partially sandy plain with numerous low tamarisk bushes. Then one crosses the Oued Djeddi, here very small, coming from the mountains of Aflou and Laghonat and disappearing in the great Chott Melrhir, Here, a few hundred yards from the river, lies Bordj Saada, a large caravanserai, near which we pitched onr tent for the first time. It was a beautiful, though cold, night; cranes flew overhead in the evening, calling loudly. The rich verdure of this winter was not so much noticed in the low-lying plain near Biskra as here. Immediately south of Bordj Saada begins a slightly elevated stony plain, and there it was that the great difference between a fertile year, like the present one, and a dry one, like that of 1909,.was obvious. Not only were there many more plants, but butterflies were seen in numbers: the common and widespread Pyrameis cardui and Pieris daplidice (subsp.), the pretty yellow Luchloé charlonia, and on the plain south of Bordj Saada, where it becomes less stony, less bare, aud where—near Bordj Chegga—Zizyphus bushes are numerous, Melitaea didyma deserticola was far from rare, though mostly more or less worn, /uchloi charlonia was observed as far south as Tamerna, though rare there. Farther southwards the country becomes more sandy, and there it is that, a little northwards of Kef-el-Dor, birds peculiar to the sandy desert, such as Gralerida theklae deichleri and Sylvia nana deserti, ave found, South of Kef-el- Dor we descend into the great Chott Melrhir, now to a large extent actually full of water, where three years ago only the “ mirage ” or “ fata morgana ” made us believe that we saw lakes and trees; great masses of Sandgrouse, apparently all Pterocles senegalus, were passing high overhead, coming from the water. We were, however, greatly disappointed that we saw no water-birds whatever, though quite recently many ducks had been seen, and near Bordj Saada we had found three dead Flamingoes, which had killed themselves by striking the telegraph wires, and hundreds of Flamingoes were observed some weeks afterwards near Mraier by Frenchmen and Arabs. At Noa-ben-Rzig we camped in the same place as in 1909, near the little oasis of palm-trees (see Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 460). We were troubled by small (3 flies, but not so much so as in the oasis of Ourir, where they were an almost, unsupportable plague, and a perfect torture to the mules, whose ears became swollen and stiff for a couple of days. The same pests occurred in Touggourt and Ouargla, but we did not see them farther southwards, and it is remarkable that in June they were quite absent.* We saw several times Pterocles alchata flying overhead in greater and smaller troops, and obtained a few. Our last ‘samp before Touggourt was at Tamerna, on an open space between two large oases. From Tamerna we made our last march to Touggourt—42 kilometres, This march leads partly throngh very dreary and uninteresting sebcha, mostly covered with nothing but one kind of plant, a Sad/cornia, forming thick bolster-like bushes, partly through sand with very little vegetation and no dunes. Hardly a bird was noticed except the “muka” (Alaemon alaudipes), and once a pair of Sylvia deserticola, of which we shot one. From February 26 to March 2 we remained in Tonggourt. Most of the time was spent in buying camels and engaging men, and all this wouid have taken longer had it not been for the kind help of Mr. Henry Chazelles. We made also some excursions into the gardens. Of butterflies we saw frequently one species of Lycaena (L. lysimon), Colias croceus (= edusa auct.), Pyrameis cardui, the common Pieris rapae, and once a Pyrameis atalanta. Of birds, Lanius excubitor elegans, Turtur senegalensis aegyptiacus, and Sparrows were common ; while of migrants only Motacilla alba alba and Phylloscopus collybita, the latter sometimes singing, were observed. The little Scops-owls (Otus scops scops), which were common in April 1909, were absent, but Zyto albu (Barn-owls) were noisy on a tower in the fort—where, however, we could not shoot them. At last, on March 2, I had bought sixteen camels and hired two mehari (riding- camels), as I could not buy any of the latter. In addition to Ahmed, our cook, translator, and headman and his assistant, both from Biskra, I engaged a guide and eight Arabs, all nomads, some of whom had travelled far and wide in the Sahara. The guide, Abd-el-Kader ben-Lakhdar, and two others were former soldiers and had seen service in Morocco and Tidikelt. These three were granted military rifles and ammunition by the authorities, and I had all the men inscribed at the Bureau Arabe, where my wishes were attended to with the greatest kindness. On March 3 we left Touggourt for the south. We passed the rich and exten- sive oases and towns of Temacin and Zaouia Tamellath, where a great marabu resides, and marched about 24 km., as far as Bled-el-Ahmar, Bledet-Ahmar or Bledet-Tamar, a large village, beyond which we camped. All the way from Tonggourt leads through monotonous sebcha, in places rather slippery, and intervening belts of sand with very scanty vegetation. No interesting birds were seen, except at Bledet-Ahmar some Crested Larks ((ralerida cristata arenicolor), and Grey Shrikes, and it is remarkable that this is the southernmost place on this route where the long-billed Crested Lark is found, At this place we saw, ou the edge of the gardens, two white butterflies, one of which we caught: a fresh Euchloé belemia’ This is the southernmost place where it is known to oceur, The fall moon rose with the wonderful brilliancy of the desert, and the evening delivered us from the irritating, tiny sand-flies and a kind of yellowish guat that bit in the daytime and which we encountered only in this place. * According to Mr. E. E. Austen these flies are Leptoconops hertészi Kieffer, only described as late as 1908 in Ann. Mus, Nat. Hung, vi. from Cairo, (4) From Bledet-Ahmar we made a long march and pitched camp in a sandy plain. All the way led through low, rolling sand-hills, like the frozen waves of the sea in a quiet “swell,” intermixed with stones and pebbles, but there were hardly any dunes. The sand was, for desert sand, fairly rich in vegetation, the bushes of Refama raetam reaching a height of two metres; Limoniastrum quyonianum was flourishing, but not yet in flower, the “ Drin” (Aristida pungens) being frequent, Euphorbia guyoniana and many little flowering plants of which I do not know the names. The birds peculiar to such districts, Alaemon alaudipes with its melancholy song, the pretty Sylvia nana deserti hopping in and out the bushes, here and there Ammomanes phoenicurus arenicolor running along the ground and almost invisible at even a short distance, because it so perfectly matches the colour of the sand and stones. Twice the somewhat rare desert- sparrow, Passer simplex saharae, was seen and shot, once Galerida thehklae deichleri, and a Raven, which, however, was too shy for us. We passed a very poor village, half engulfed in sand, many honses forsaken, the palms of a poor appearance, the water rather bad and not very clean. In the palm-trees Lanius excubitor elegans was seen. The night had been cold, but the day was warm. Insects and reptiles were rather scarce, while later on in the year many more are obvious. We saw here and there a Pyrameis cardui sailing wildly across the path, and once a Pieris daplidice (subsp.). The camp, in the clean sandy plain, was very peaceful and picturesque. A LRhizotrogus-like beetle flew round the fires at night, but the low temperature with a bright moon spoiled the catch of lepidoptera, On March 5 we left the sandy tract and encountered a bare gravel-plain with very scanty vegetation. No birds enlivened it except Ammomancs phoenicurus arenicolor, here and there a forlorn Alaemon alaudipes and the Cream-coloured Jursor. In spite of the short time before moonrise and the bare surroundings, some Noctuidae and Pyralidae came to the light at our camp at the Hassi Mahmar. The country from Hassi Mahmar onwards remains the same, only still barer, and interspersed with stony patches and low flat-topped table-hills, where Lvythrospiza githaginea occurs. Av hour before the Hassi Avefidji sand-waves with huge Retam-bushes, Drin and Euphorbia set in. Here Grey Shrikes were common, and their eggs taken; Crateropus fulcus and Sylvia nana deserti, also Galerida theklae deichleri became quite numerous. A female of Oenanthe (Saxicola) deserti and a flight of about 30 Calandrella brachydactyla on passage were seen. It was again a grand night, and we hoped fora good collecting day along the sands, but unfortunately next morning the wind began to blow and made collecting very difficult; moreover about 10 km. farther we got out of the beautiful sand-wavyes and had to cross a tiresome sebcha with Salsolaceae only ; towards midday sand-dunes appeared, but at the same time the wind became stronger and so boisterous that we sometimes thought it would blow us over with our camels, and that one could not see a hundred yards ahead. Thus we reached the miserable village of Ngoussa, or Bour-Ngoussa, which reminded us strongly of El-Oued, surrounded as it was by sand-dunes and the palm-gardens half hidden from sight by depressions among the hills. In the morning we had found a negt, with four eggs of Scotocerca inquieta saharae and shot a Galerida theklae deichleri which had, apparently, already laid eggs. It must here be emphasized that south of Hassi Arefidji Crested Larks were seen for the last time, and that in all the country south from there no Crested (5) Larks of any kind occur! From Koenig’s work it was left uncertain whether any were found near Onargla, but there are evidently none. We have in vain searched for them around Ouargla, and from inquiries made too, it is evident that no Gulerida is found there. As I have said before, the last Galerida cristata were seen at Bled- el-Ahmar, south of Touggourt. This was the first of our feathered friends from the northern desert to disappear, but many others were soon to follow. Having at last arrived at the village, we found the Bordj had collapsed, only an open verandah and one room remaining standing. This welcome shelter we occupied, and praised our luck that we had not encountered this weather yesterday among the open sand-dunes of Arefidji; for the gale came in heavy gusts, and the air was thick. We were just skinning our birds when a military doctor from Onargla arrived on his way to Morocco, rid Biskra and Alger, with whom we had to share the room, which was just big enough for three. The gale diminished after midnight, and when we awoke in the morning it was quite calm. Yesterday we had practically seen the first migratory birds, and from now not many days passed without migrants being observed. To-day, March 8, we noticed Calandrella brachydactyla, numerous Phylloscopus (apparently all collybita), and Motacilla alba. We rode as far as Ouargla, all the way through sand and sebcha recently covered with sand, and before Ouargla we had to cross very high dunes of a warm rufous colour, thongh this reddish hue was only due to a layer of red sand covering the usual whitish yellow dunes. Passer simplex saharae was again met with. Arriving at eleven o’clock on the crest of the dunes, we saw Ouargla before us in the distance, with a wide sheet of water to the left of the town; but it was still a long and weary ride over a lifeless and absolutely uninteresting sebcha before we reached the town, where we found primitive but tolerable accommodation in Monsieur Irisson’s hotel. Onargla (or Wargla) is an old town with an interesting history, but not a good place for a zoologist, especially when he has to stay in the middle of the place, as we were obliged to do, our chief object here being to complete our caravan and to begin the march southwards. Down to Ouargla some zoological collecting had been donie, south of it next to nothing. Koenig had visited Ouargla, and with him Dr. Krauss, who collected some insects; Lataste had done good work here, with his usual energy and success; and others had no doubt been there, since it is not very difficult to reach the place. No zoologist had, to my knowledge, ever been south of Ouargla. Ouargla was founded many centuries ago by Berbers and Jews, and it is now chiefly inhabited by Arabs of various tribes—Chaamba (an ancient Berber tribe), and “hartani” (descendants of liberated slaves from the Western Sudan), with an admixture of Jews converted to Islam in ancient times. All these races are more or less mixed, and not easily recognised by a stranger, especially as most of the Berbers are very black, resulting from the numerous negro women they used to marry in the times of their raids on the Sudan tribes, and the darkening of their skin is also favoured by the climate. There are also some M’zabites, who keep shops ; and to the latter belong many of the date-palms, though others are claimed by the Chaamba, who come here in great numbers in the autumn for the date-crop. Thus only a fifth or so remains for the actual cultivators of the gardens, the “haratins,” who yery seldom are owners of any property at all. In former times (6) Onargla has been a great centre of commerce, especially when the M’zabites lived there, who are now concentrated in the valley of the Oued M’zab, and when, apparently, the caravan-route from Algeria vid Biskra—Touggourt—Onargla—In Salah—Soudan was more frequented, slaves, ivory, and ostrich-feathers forming the fortune of such caravans; while now the slave-trade is prohibited, ivory finds its way direct to the west coast down the Niger and Senegal, and ostrich-feathers are only brought in small quantities. Nevertheless, even now Onargla is an important centre and much thought of by the Arabs. ~The old streets of Ouargla are narrow, many arched and half dark ; the soldiers’ barracks and houses of the officers are outside the town, in large new buildings. The town is surrounded by an ancient crenellated wall, with loopholes and a rampart-walk ; and a feature of the place are the two white minarets, 25 metres high and close together. The old kasbah is no longer in existence, thongh its ruins can be traced, The palm-groves, or “ gardens ’ * as they are always called by the natives, are bare and generally in faiely: deep depressions, though watered by wells as well as from the water of the sebcha. Every property being ‘enenoniled by high mud-walls, progress and collecting in the gardens are difficult and tiresome. Flies and the irritating little “sandflies” (Leptoconops hertésxi Wieffer, 1908) were frequent, and later in the season Ouargla is very unhealthy; malarial fever abounds, and it seems indeed as if Onargla is the most unhealthy of all the Algerian oases. We collected a large series of Sparrows, which are all red-headed! The only other sedentary bird we found in the palm-groves was 7'vrtur senegalensis aegyp- tiacus. No owls were seen, and we were assnred that the Scops-Owls were not known; but this statement may be erroneous, since, possibly, they had not yet arrived from the south. Of migrants we noticed Calandrella brachydactyla, Phylloscopi, Motacilla alba alba, Anas crecea, Anas querquedula, Machetes pugnax, some very shy males of Oenanthe oenanthe, three Totanus (rectius Tringa !) stagnatilis, Totanus (Tringa) glottis, and, on March 9, the first few Chelidon rustica. Our interest was aroused in the Gara-Klima (or Gara-Krima), a flat-topped mountain about 12 kilometres from the town, throngh Professor Koenig’s visit to that place in 1893. We therefore hired donkeys (mules or horses not being obtainable) and devoted a day to it. It is a most uninteresting hill, consisting of hardened earth with a top of rock and stones, the way to it leading through a sandy plain with a few palms and miserable nomad huts. There are here also the ruins of the M’zabite town Sedrata, which was destroyed by the Arabs. Koenig had the great Inck to shoot a pale Eagle-Owl (Bubo ascalaphus an xectins Bubo bubo desertorum Eri.) and to find Buzzards’ nests here; but we tried in vain to find the Bubo, and Buzzards were absent, though old nests, as yet empty, evidently belonging to the latter, were found. On the top of the mountain we shot a single Ocenanthe leucopyga ; and this is the first place, coming from Touggourt, where this species appears! I was greatly interested in the ruins found on top\of the Gara- Klima. Koenig (Reisen und Forsch. in Algerien, p. 84) advanced the idea that they were Roman ruins, strengthening his theory with the fact that, according to Barth and Roblfs, Roe remains had been found as far south as 27° north latitude, Koenig’s Biencary, however, is erroneous. The end of the road leading to the top is crowned by a ruined arenes and one can trace houses and roads on the summit, built of crude bricks of exactly the same nature as those used for the wall sur- Ca) rounding Ouargla ; and the bases of the houses on top are partly built of stones, roughly shaped for the purpose. These stones induced Koenig to think they were made by Romans, but where Arabs or Berbers find stones lying about by thousands they always use them more or less when building, as one can see in hundreds of places. Moreover it is well known that the forsaken town on the top of Gara-Klima was a M’zabite town, It was the M’zabites who built the well which pierced the whole Gara to a depth of 85 metres, 7.e. 830 metres beyond the bottom of the hill. It is now dry and probably not more than 30 metres deep; in 1890 it was still 45 metres deep, the rest being filled up with sand. Similarly constructed wells and ruins on the tops of hills are found on the hillock of Ba-Mendil, north-west of Ouargla, and near Ghardaia. Pieces of pottery among the ruins on the top of the Gara-Klima are also of typical Berber origin. There is thus nothing whatever in favour of Koenig’s theory. [f, according to Rohlfs and Barth, Roman remains occur as far south as 27° N. latitude, they are certainly not found there in the Algerian Sahara. It is trne that in an old Arab manuscript a statement occurs that Romans reached Onargla; if this should be true it would probably have been some adventurers only and not a Roman force, but they have certainly not left any traces behind. The view from Gara-Klima is magnificent, and one sees westwards many other “cour” with more rugged sides, where probably more owls and hawks occur than on Klima. At last, on March 13, we left Ouargla, having bought with great difficulty two mehari and two more camels, and also taken another native, a Chaambi clad in a beautiful purple gown who had an old gun and his own very hardy though old and sore riding-camel; he was a very useful man, well versed in travelling, shooting and hunting, and full of fun, improvising a concert almost every night, not to the benefit of our cooking-pots, one of which formed the solitary musical instrument, the rest of the din being singing, yelling and clapping of hands. For 20 kilometres our way led over an absolutely bare sebcha, resembling an endless harrowed field; then it became gravelly, afterwards more stony, and at a distance of about 22 km. there commenced almost bare clay hills with low cliffs (P]. [X., lower photo), and broken up by numerous dry ancient water courses. These hills were inhabited by a few pairs of Oenanthe (Saxicola anct.) leucopyga and a pair of Oenanthe lugens halophila. A pair of Ravens (doubtless wmbrinus) were seen, and some old nests, perhaps of Buzzards, were found. After a short ascent we had to descend again, and entered a bare rolling stony plateau where only a few Ammomanes phoenicurus arenicolor occurred. mya. A pair from Safet-Iniquel, 30 km. north of El-Golea, shot on March 23, measure: ¢ 102, 295 mm. Their bills are larger than in regular algeriensis from Biskra, El-Kantara, Ghardaia, Tunisia. A male from Kef-el-Dor, 18. iv. 1909, has the bill as long and almost as strong as in A. d. mya, while the wing measures 99 mm. or a little more, being somewhat worn. Three specimens from the hammada between Ghardaia and El-Golea (¢ 20 km. south of Ghardaia, 28. v., 95 km. south of Ghardaia, 27.v., d 55 km. north of El-Golea, 20. v.) have bills larger, especially thicker, than usually seen in A. d. algeriensis, 17—18°5 mm. in length, and wings of 98 to 100 mm. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that Ammomanes deserti algeriensis, in its southernmost localities, leans towards the southern Ammomanes deserti mya, at least in the form of the bill, and this is best expressed by the usual formula, A, d. algeriensis > myt. 12. Ammomanes deserti mya Hart. Ammomanes deserti mya Hartert, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 8. vol. x. p. 230 (August 1912— Oued Mya). After leaving the rocks called Safet-Iniquel, about 30 km, north of El-Golea, on March 23, no Ammomanes were met with until we came to the Oued Saret, a sandy river-bed separated in some places from the surrounding hammada by low cliffs, ‘This is a distance of 138 km. from Safet-Iniqnel, and the latter is an isolated outpost for A. d. algeriensis, while north of the Oued Saret there was no sign of A, d. mya. Naturally, as soon as a desert-lark so far south, in a new locality, was seen, a few were procured, and we were at once struck by the size of the beaks. Afterwards this same form was again found at Fort Miribel and in all the affluents of the southernmost Oued Mya and in the latter itself; also in the gorge of the Ain Guettara, and on the slopes of the Tademait, 2 or 3 km. south of Ain Guettara. In the Oued Mya region this lark was quite common. What struck me most was the different, louder and deeper call-note (dyiip, dyiip), and the different song. Instead of the monotonous “ djirreii, djirreit, djirreii” of A. d. algeriensis, it sang like “tirrhuit, tirrriir, tirrriir, djiarriir, djiarriir,” the various notes not all alike, but different and variously modulated. In colour the two allied forms vary very little, but generally A. d. myc is less reddish, especially on the ramp and upper wing-coverts, and there is more black on the inner webs of the rectrices ; in size, however, the differences are striking, A. d. mya being much larger: wings of males 107—111, females 97—101, tail about 74—76°5, bill much thicker and longer, 18—20, once 20°9 mm. We found a number of nests of this Lark. They were placed in shallow holes on the rocks along the banks of the river-beds, and had a long wall of stones, like the nests of Oenanthe leucura syenitica and leucopyga. Unfortunately, in spite of the greatest efforts, we found no eggs; most of the females seemed to lay later, but others must have had eggs. 13. Ammomanes phoenicurus arenicolor (Sund.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 487. Like Koenig years ago, and Mr. Rothschild and myself in 1909, we found this graceful little Lark soon after Bordj Chegga on the stony plain intermixed ( 44 ) with sand; and such country, viz. sandy plains or plateaux with stones and rocks, are. the principal localities where this species is found. According to my experience it does not inhabit the very barest hammada nor the rocky mountains, which are so often the home of A. deserti algeriensis. We found it not rare on the platean east of Ghardaia, but generally in sandy oueds, About six or eight specimens were observed, and three of them shot, about half-way between Ouargla and El-Golea, on March 19, on a gravelly plain, where stones appeared in quantities, On April 2 a pair was observed on stony ground near the sand-dunes of the Erg-bent-Chaouli; then again on April 5, in a sandy river-bed (Oued el- Far), in the middle of an endless hammada, 25 km. south of Fort Miribel. Farther sonth four specimens were seen together in the sandy river-bed of the Oued el-Abiodh, north of In-Salah, on April 14, two of which were shot; they had ovary and testicles very small, being evidently some time before their nesting season. None were observed in the same neighbourhood on April 25. On our return journey quite a number were seen in the entirely sandy plain between Hl-Alia and Bledet-Ahmar. All the specimens from these various localities were the same, though varying individually a good deal, especially on the crown, hind-neck, and back, No eggs were found, but a nest with naked young was discovered ou June 2, 26 km. east of Ghardaia (Pl. VI). 14. Galerida theklae deichleri Hrl. Cf, Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 495. As in 1909, we found this very pale form on the sands north of Kef-el-Dor, but it was not very numerous there by the end of February. One of the specimens had some feathers on the back moulting, and the testicles of the males were swollen, South of Touggourt this Lark was common near Hassi Arefidji and to the north of it, as well as southwards to near Ngoussa, This was the southernmost place where any Crested Larks were found during our journey, and Spatz’s observations agree with ours. No Crested Larks are found near Onargla. On June 6 these Larks were common at Dinar, 50 km. south of Touggourt, but the old birds were in such horribly worn plumage that we refrained from collecting more than one. A young bird shot there on that date is rather interesting, as even in this juvenile age it can be distinguished from the young of Galerida theklae carolinae (and from those of the various forms of G. cristata) by its paler colour, the blackish spots before the whitish tips of the feathers being more restricted and paler brown. These Larks only inhabit sandy plains, generally, though not always, places where a few flat stones appear among the sands. They do not frequent dunes or hammada. We collected this year thirteen specimens. There is very little variation in this series. On June 11, near El-Alia, we found a nest with two naked young and two addled eggs. They are spotted with pale brown and grey, typical for thehklae eggs, and measure 23 x 18°83 and 23 x 18°09 mm, ( 45 ) 15. Galerida theklae carolinae Hrl. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 494. On the outward journey down to Tidikelt we never saw this subspecies, but returning northwards to Ghardaia we came across it for the first time on May 25, 90 km. south of Ghardaia, on the side of an oned with rich vegetation, on rocky slopes. In the evening, 75 km. south of Ghardaia, young ones were flying about. On the 26th and 27th none were observed, but on the 28th, about 20 km. south of Ghardaia, a few were met with, but they were in such bad plumage that only one was preserved. After that a few were found on the plateau east of Ghardaia, about 25 km. from that town, and around the Bordj and Hassi Rebib, in the river-bed of the Oued Nea, 538 km. from Ghardaia. Some young birds in first plumage were collected, which are distinctly more rufescent than those of G. t. deichleri, with more prominent markings. Our series of this year (only six adult specimens) varies not very much, and shows clearly, even in the most. worn specimens, the reddish tinge of the upperside which characterises this subspecies. 16. Galerida cristata arenicola Tristr. Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 493. While going from Biskra to Bordj Saada these Larks were common, and to our astonishment we saw two of them soaring skywards and singing. I said to Hilgert, this must be a G. theklae, probably deichler?, as we had never seen any G. cristata doing this ; so we watched one of the males and shot it when it descended to the ground, but it was none other than a typical G. cristata arenicola. This fact shows that our observation of 1909 and 1911 (cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p- 489) that only G. thehlae sings soaring skywards is not without exceptions. We saw G. cristata arenicola several times along the road to Touggourt, and from Touggourt to Bledet-Ahmar, where it was not rare close to the oasis. Farther southwards it did not occur. Worn summer specimens are of course very dark when the pale borders of the feathers are half gone. 17. Galerida cristata macrorhyncha [ristr. Cf. Nov, Zool. xviii, pp. 489 and 492, The only place where we came across long-billed Crested Larks, which we believe to belong to this closely allied race, was a few kilometres east of Guerrara and close to that town. We shot two adult and one young specimens, but the old birds are in such worn plumage that little can be said about them, and exact, measurements cannot be taken. Nevertheless we believe them to be macrorhyncha, and not arenicola; the male has the wing about 112 (at least), the female 102 mm. It is strange to find two subspecies as close together as Guerrara and Touggourt to Bledet-Ahmar, but both places are outposts from the principal strongholds, and Guerrara is more or less stony ground, while at Touggourt and Bledet-Ahmar these Larks live on sand. The male from Bledet-Ahmar has the wing of nearly 110, the female one of 104 mm., but we consider them nevertheless to belong to arenicola. [No Skylarks were seen south of Biskra; it seems therefore that they do not range to the real Sahara, Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 497. | ( 46 ) 18. Alaemon alaudipes alaudipes (Desf.). Cf. Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 497. The Muka of the Arabs is the delight of every traveller in the desert, and often have I listened to its plaintive, enchanting, flute-like notes. It is chiefly found in sand districts, if there is sufficient vegetation, but it adapts itself also to the oueds in the hammada, far away from the sands. It is very common between Biskra and Touggourt, and from Touggourt to Ouargla. South of Ouargla it is rarer and more local, but extends sparingly down to El-Golea, and near that place, as well as around Hassi Okseibat, sonth of El-Golea, it is not rare. Farther southwards, and even in the Southern Oned-Mya region, it is almost absent, but it was heard in the latter place on April 30 ; and south of Ain Guettara, in the bed of the Oued el-Abiodh, on April 14, one pair was seen and obtained ; others could not be found. The male of these southernmost specimens is exceptionally rusty on the upperside, almost as brown as one from the Cape Verde Islands, while the female is very pale. Mnkas were not rare generally between El-Golea and Ghardaia, and from Ghardaia to Touggourt. The first young ones, tiny creatures unable to fly, rnnning swiftly across the sebcha, were seen on March 30, near Kl-Golea. Afterwards many young were seen flying about on the plateau east of Ghardaia, They had begun already to moult into the first antumn plumage on June 2 and 3. While the blackish anteapical cross-markings on the upperside are strongly marked in some, they are rather faint in others, and also the dark spots on the throat are sometimes much more distinct than in others. On May 18 and 22 nests with two eggs each were found north of El-Golea, The first stood in the usual way on top of a bush, the other on the ground, near a stone, a somewhat unusual position. The nests were composed of dry grass and thin twigs, interwoven with spider-webs. The eggs measure 24 x 16, 23-7 x 161 and 20 x 16, 20°1 x 15°9 mm., the latter clutch being unasnally small. 19. Eremophila (Otocorys) alpestris bilopha (Temm.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 498. Only seen in two places: Kef-el-Dor, between Biskra and Touggourt, and in the Mzab country east of Ghardaia as far as abont 25 km. east of Guerrara, From June 2 to 7 young birds were seen, some beginning already to moult into the first autamn plumage. The young before the first moult are on the upperside of a reddish isabelline, each feather with a tiny pale cream (not white) tip; the underside is white with a creamy buff band across the chest and a similar tinge on the flanks: there is no black on the jugulum and forehead, so that such birds, if seen running on the ground, do not give the idea of an Lremophila to a casual observer. 20. *“Anthus trivialis trivialis (L.). C£. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 498. The Tree Pipit was observed in the Southern Oued Mya during the second week of April, and at In-Salah on April 30, also a single specimen on May 10, south of El-Golea, (47) 21. *Anthus pratensis (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 498. A few were noticed in El-Golea during the last week of March. 22. *Anthus campestris (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 499. A single specimen was shot at Arefidji, out of a small flock, on March 7, one was observed in the most monotonous hammada south of Hassi el-Hadjar on March 17, and again on the 18th and 20th, and it was not rare at El-Golea about March 26; a few were seen in the Southern Oued Mya during the second week of April, and at In-Salah on April 30. 23. *Motacilla flava flava (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 499. From March 26 to 28 typical 1 flava was common at El-Golea; we observed it in the bed of the Oued Saret on April 4, and in the Southern Oued Mya during the second week of April. 24. *Motacilla flava cinereocapilla Savi. Cf. Whitaker, Birds of Tunisia i. p. 151. On March 24 I shot a male from a small flock at Safet-Iniqnel, with a white throat, and another at In-Salah, on April 21. Both are typical ecnereocapilla. As this Wagtail is a regular migrant in Tunisia, it will doubtless be so in some parts of Algeria. As we never saw it in the eminently suitable country near Tac Fetzara, we doubted whether Yellow Wagtails nested in Algeria, but in 1857 Tristram took eggs on June 9 and 18 in the “ Province of Constantine ” ; these were probably those of c/nereocapilla. 25. *Motacilla flava thunbergi Billberg. Motacilla borealis Whitaker, B, Tunisia i. p. 152. We first met with this form at Ain Guettara, on April 28, where a pair were running about fearlessly round our tent; as the dark head was at once noticed I shot the pair, which proved to be typical thunbergi. After that date these birds were observed on April 30 (three specimens), May 2 to 7 daily (in the Oued Mya and affluents), May 12 at the Hassi Marroket, May 13 and 18 single specimens at El-Golea, and afterwards single examples on May 25 and 27, and even on June 5 a single female, apparently ill, and another at Guerrara, June 6, In the Southern Oued Mya many were eaten by the Horned Vipers, Cerastes cerastes (= cornutus). 26. *Motacilla alba alba L. Cf, Nov. Zool, xviii, p. 499. White Wagtails were common at Touggourt on February 27 to 29, and a few were seen in the Mouleina, just south of Biskra, on February 20, also on March 8, near Ouargla. [Parus caeruleus ultramarinus is not rare in Biskra, where we saw it feeding its young in June, but it does not occur in any of the southern oases, Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 500. | ( 48 ) 27. Lanius excubitor elegans Swains. Cf. Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 500. Common from south of Biskra to Touggourt, and thence south to Ngoussa, north of Ouargla. We do not remember having seen Grey Shrikes at Ouargla, and none are found southwards, not even in the Southern Oned Mya region. In the bed of Oued el-Abiodh, north of In-Salah, an old nest was found which looked like a Shrike’s nest, but there were no Shrikes near there this year. North of El-Golea bushes of Zizyphus lotus appeared again for the first time in great luxuriance on May 23 between Oued Saadana and Hassi el-Hadadra, 145 km. south of Ghardaia, and with the Zizyphus began at once Lanius eaxcubitor elegans. These Shrikes had here partly half-grown young in the nest, partly young flying about and taking care of themselves. They might make two broods here, but maybe that the late broods are only due to loss of the first ones. These Shrikes were very common at Sebseb, 51 km. south of Ghardaia, in Metlili, Ghardaia, Gnerrara, and very numerous in the bed of the Oued Nea. The first clutches of eggs (five each) were found near Bordj Chegga, February 22, in Zizyphus bushes. An egg was cut ont of a female at Tong- gourt on February 27. A clutch of five was found in a Retam at Arefidji, March 6, This Grey Shrike, when singing, is often a very good imitator of other birds’ calls and songs. 28. *Lanius senator senator L. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 501. This bird breeds in Northern Algeria, and we did not find it nesting in the Sahara. We first observed it in El-Golea, March 27, and henceforth it was a common migrant wherever bushes and trees were found. On the return journey these Shrikes were observed in smaller numbers, generally only oue or two, here and there, as late as May 16, at El-Golea. A single male was seen on June 5 in the Oued Nea, and after that none were observed. In Biskra we did not come across the Red-headed Shrike in June, and we therefore doubt if it breeds there—at least in the oasis itself. The outer tail-feather is sometimes quite white. The Tring Museum has such a male shot at Lambése on June 3 by Mr. Fliickiger, and I shot another at Fort Miribel on April 4. Sometimes the black anteapical patch occupies at least half the feather, sometimes it is reduced to a small spot. 29. *Muscicapa collaris Bechst. Museicapa collaris Bechstein, Gemeinn. Naturg. Deutschl. iv. p, 495 (1795—“ Europa und Deutsch- land; in den tiefen Gebirgen des Thiiringerwaldes noch am hiiufigsten,” Terra typica : Thiiringerwald), dad, Hassi Marroket, south of El-Golea, 11. y. 1912. dad. El-Golea, 13. vy. 1912. This bird has not been met with by recent explorers, though Loche stated that it was widely distributed in Algeria, and Whitaker records it as a regular “ summer migrant” in Tunisia, It is doubtless only a bird of passage in N.W. Africa, but probably as regular a migrant in Algeria as in Tunisia, (49°) 30. “Muscicapa hypoleuca hypoleuca (Pall.). (= MW. atricapilla atricapilla auct.) Cf. Nov, Zool. xviii, p. 503. Mr. Hilgert saw one at Hl-Golea on March 27. Not rare on passage in the oases of Tidikelt from April 15 to 24, and again in the Southern Oued Mya region, in the Oued Tinbourbar, on May 5. 31. *Muscicapa striata striata (Pall.). (= JM. grisola anct.) Cf£. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 503. The Spotted Flycatcher passed through the Sahara from May 5 to the beginning of June, the last being seen on June 5. Specimens which we shot agreed in every detail with Swedish and German ones, not with the dull Corsican J. striata tyrrhenica. In 1909 we were convinced that these birds would nest at Hammam Meskoutine, but now we doubt it very much, after seeing how late they pass through South Algeria, No bird should henceforth be regarded as breeding in Algeria, unless nest and eggs have been discovered. 32. *Phylloscopus trochilus (1.). C£, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 504, From March 26 (HI-Golea) a more or less common migrant, especially at In-Salah, from the middle of April to the 22nd. On May 1, in the southernmost Oued Mya, about 60 km. north of Ain Guettara, this species was not rare—though more so than dJonelli—in the large Tamarix trees, and those seen appeared to be very pale. They belonged perhaps to P. trochilus eversmanni. A female which we skinned has a wing of 64 mm. It is whiter on the abdomen than one shot at In-Salah on April 17. It is, however, not easy to distinguish P. ¢. eversmanni. 33. *Phylloscopus collybita collybita (Vieill.). Gf. Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 503. Common migrant from March 8 to the end of April. 34. *Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Bechst.). Cf. Vig. pal. Fauna i. pp. 515, 516 ; Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 503. We observed and shot this species in the gardens of El-Golea on May 15 and 16, and as late as May 23, 145 km. south of Ghardaia. These specimens are not particularly bright, and agree better with PA. s. sibilatriz than with the Mediterranean P. s. erlanger?; the latter is, perhaps, a doubtful race. In the first instance the late Carlo von Hrlanger described it as P. 8. flavescens, a preoccupied name, chiefly on the strength of an aberrant specimen, and I recognised it partly on account of the different song which it is sapposed to have; I am, however, now very doubtful if that observation is convincing, as probably the whirring song is not uttered except in the breeding season, and we have still no proof of the breeding in N.W. Africa. Could not all the late birds observed in Manretania be still migrants ? With regard to the brighter coloration of North Mediterranean specimens, more material should perhaps be compared in order to establish the race erlangert for good. 4 (50) 35. *“Phylloscopus bonelli bonelli (Vieill.). Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 504. Bonelli’s Warbler was common at In-Salah (April 18 to 22), and in the river- beds of the southern Oued Mya region during the end of April and beginning of May. 36. *Acrocephalus streperus streperus (Vieill.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 504. On May 14 to 16 these Reed-Warblers were common and lustily singing in the reeds of the Lake of El-Golea. In the very thick Arundo donax it was, however, very difficult to retrieve any specimen we shot, and so we secured only two, both adult males. These had the testicles quite small, not in the least swollen, and were, probably, not breeding there, but still on migration, notwithstanding the late date. 37. “Acrocephalus schoenobaenus (L.). Cf. Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 504. This species too was very common round the Lake of El-Golea in the middle of May. They were singing, but the sexual organs of the specimens we shot were not in the least enlarged, and I doubt, therefore, if they were breeding in the Sahara, In 1909 Mr. Rothschild and I were convinced that this bird was breeding at Lake Fetzara, but so far the eggs have not been procured, and thus proof is still wanting. [Acrocephalus arundinaceus (1), the Great Reed-Warbler, was not met with this year. Tristram (see Sale-catalogue of Eggs collected in Algeria, 1858, p. 9) says that it is found in Algeria wherever there are tall reeds and swamps, and he took eggs in the “ province of Constantine ” on June 15 and 22.] 38. “Hippolais icterina (Vicill.). C£. Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 504. A male and female were shotin the gardens of El-Golea on May 13 and 14, evidently on passage. 39. *Hippolais polyglotta (Vieill.). Cf, Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 505. A male was obtained on May 1, in the southernmost Oned Mya, 60 km. north of Ain Guettara, doubtless on passage. 40. “Hippolais pallida opaca Cab. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 505. A female shot in the southerumost Oued Mya, 60 km, north of Ain Guettara, May 1, doubtless on migration. Larger than H. p. reiser? (2 wing 69°), slightly darker, and with the same, but a more powerful song. 41. Hippolais pallida reiseri Hilgert. Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii, p, 505. This bird, which is still scarce in collections, was not rare during the last days of our stay in In-Salah, singing merrily in the date-palms aud pomegranates, A few (1) were observed early in May in the Southern Oued Mya region, and a great number in the gardens of El-Golea in the middle of May. They were further observed in the oases of Touggourt, Mraier, and Biskra. In the latter two these birds were undoubtedly nesting, and in Touggourt and Biskra, June 17 and 18, we saw young birds being fed by their parents. In Mraier and Biskra we tried hard to find nests, but did not succeed. We did not even see an old nest, and as all our search was in vain, we suspect that these birds nest in palms and other high trees, though this is not the habit of other Hippolais. We are not sure that HZ. p. reéser? nests in In-Salah and El-Golea, but we have little doubt it breeds in the gardens of El-Golea, though no nest could be found— not even an old one; they may, perhaps, also nest in In-Salah, as the sexual organs of the birds shot there were already swollen; it was, however, certainly too early for nests in April, and in the oueds of the desert these birds were doubtless only migrants. The ten males we collected this year have wings of 63°5 to 67, one 68°5 mm., the two females 62°5 to 64 mm. 42. *Sylvia hortensis hortensis (Gm.). (Sylvia orphea olim.) Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p, 506. Ou May 5a female was shot 27 km. south of El-Golea, and one or two were noticed a few days afterwards in the gardens of El-Golea. 43. *Sylvia borin borin (Bodd.). (Sylvia hortensis auct. mult. errore.) Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii, p- 506. Not rare in the gardens of El-Golea on May 13 and 14. 44. *Sylvia communis communis Lath. (Sylvia cinerea auct.) Cf£, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 506. Shot May 1, 60 km. north of Ain Guettara, in the southernmost bend of the Oued Mya, when several were seen ; observed in the middle of May in El-Golea, and several times seen between El-Golea and Ghardaia up to May 26. 45. Sylvia nana deserti (Loche). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 507. Travelling southwards, we found this lovely sand-coloured little bird here and there between Biskra and Touggourt, and for the last time between Safet-Iniquel and Oued Djafou, north of El-Golea. We never saw it south of Hl-Golea, though the country appeared, in certain places, to be quite suitable for it. On the return journey the Desert Warbler was encountered again about 40 and 50 km. north of El-Golea. It was common near Sebseb, south of Metlili, but. still more so in the sand-region of El-Arich, south-west of Touggourt. Specimens shot on March 4 and 5, about 60 and 75 km. south of Tonggourt, had ovaries and testicles already more or less strongly enlarged. One shot on May 20 north of El-Golea had the plumage so much worn that we resolved not to shoot any (52 ) more, At Sebseb these birds were singing lustily on May 26, apparently about to make a second brood. On June 6, at El-Arich, about half a dozen nests were found with naked or half-feathered young, either three or four in number. One nest con- tained two naked nestlings and two eggs; and a nest with four rotten eggs, covered with sand, was found north of El-Golea. Five of the eggs could be blown and saved, They were rather finely spotted, and not so greenish as those found in 1909 (1. ¢.), and measure 16°2 x 12°3, 16 x 12:6, 15-4 x 12°3, 16 x 125, and 15°71 x 125 mm. 46. *Sylvia cantillans inornata ‘I'sch. Cf, Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 508. Migrating through the central Sahara in April, in small numbers. Males were collected in the Oned Mya on April 8 and as late as May 1, also at In-Salah on April 18. 47. *Sylvia cantillans albistriata (Drelm), C£, Nov. Zool, xviii. p, 509. « Migrating through the Sahara in March and early April: near Ouargla 10. iii., El-Golea 24. iii, 60 km. south of Hl-Golea, l.iv., and a female, which I believe to belong to this form, in the Oued Saret, 4.iv., 1012. 48, "Sylvia deserticola Tristr. Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii, p. 509. One male Tamerna (north of Touggourt), 26. ii, oue male Arefidji, north of Ouargla, 7.iii. The one from Tamerna had wings, tail and body plumage in full moult. ‘The other had only a few of the body-plumes still moulting. 49. Sylvia conspicillata conspicillata Temm. C£, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 509. d ad. Kef-el-Dor, south of Biskra, 23. ii. The testicles were already swollen, and the bird would probably have nested on the spot. 50. Agrobates galactotes galactotes (‘l'emm.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 510. End of April several times in the southernmost bend of the Oued Mya, apparently still on passage. Middle of May common in the gardens of El-Golea, lustily singing and possibly nesting, though we could not find a nest, not even an old one. Very common near the Hassi Rebib in the Oued Nea, east of Ghardaia. The song is very powerful and pleasant. Nesting in the thick, almost impenetrable Zizyphus-bushes, where several empty nests and one with naked young were found on June 3. 51. Scotocerca inquieta saharae (Loche). Of. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 510. Noticed near Kef-el-Dor, south of Biskra, between Touggourt and Ouargla, and from El-Arich to Bledet-Ahmar, in sandy and clayey steppe with Limoniastrum and other thick bushes. A nest with four fresh eggs was found at Arefidji, March 7, in a bush of ——— Se ae eee (58) Limoniastrum. These eges are rather small, the rufous spots small, but covering nearly the whole egg, thongh more frequent round the larger pole, and measure 14:9 x 11:6, 14:2 x 11°6, 14-4 x 11°3, and 145 x 11:4 mm. Another nest with three naked young and an addled egg was discovered on June 11, also in a Limoniastrum, near El-Alia, The egg is larger and has larger but fewer spots and patches round the thick end. It measnres 16 x 12 mm. 52. Crateropus fulvus fulvus (Desf.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p- 511. Seen near Chegga, and in the Mzab country ; coming from the south, first met with on May 24 near El-Hadadra, and common on the 25th between Oued el-Abiodh and Bordj Gia. Adult birds shot on the 25th had their wings, tails and body plumage already monulting. In Ghardaia young birds were seen early in June. Plentiful in the Oued Nea, but perhaps most numerons in the oasis of Ghardaia. We never saw one south of Touggourt. [ Turdus merula mauritanicus breeds in the oases of Biskra, but has not been met with farther to the south. | 53. *“Monticola saxatilis (L.). Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 513. A single male was seen and shot in the Oued Saret, 109 km, south of El-Golea, on April 4, Wing 126°5 mm. 54. *Oenanthe oenanthe oenanthe (L.). (Saxicola oenanthe anct.) Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 513. These birds migrate through the Sahara in great quantities. The first seen were some awfully shy males near Ouargla. While at El-Golea, from March 27 to 30, Wheatears were extremely common. Hundreds were caught by the boys for pleasure and food in American penny-traps, the same which one buys in the ironmongers’ shops in England. Apparently it has been the habit to catch little birds since times immemorial, but the original crude traps of palm-fibres or horse- hair have been transplanted by the modern traps. I heard it said by a Frenchman, that bird-catching should not be suppressed, because the sparrows did so much damage to the crops, which is perfectly true ; but the sparrows are much too clever to enter the traps often ; during our stay in El-Golea one single sparrow got caught in a trap, and was promptly brought to me, as it was known that we were in want of Sparrows, but all the birds caught in great numbers were Wheatears, Pipits, and Yellow Wagtails, and occasionally a Red-headed Shrike and a Swallow, the latter probably knocked down with a stick or stone. The specimens we examined and skinned all belonged to the typical oenanthe. After El-Golea 0. 0. oenanthe was several times observed along the Sonthern Oued Mya, at In-Salah (April 17), and as late as May 5 in the Oued Mya, ( 54 ) [Oenanthe oenanthe leucorrhoa ((m.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p, 513. Once, on April 10, when out with a butterfly-net to catch Preris and Euchloé, 1 saw a strikingly bright-coloured male with an almost pink chest and of great. size ; close by were two O. o. oenanthe, and the bird was quite tame. I returned soon after with a gun, but could not find the bird again. Ido not hesitate to say that the bird must have been a specimen of 0. 0. leucorrhoa.] 55. Oenanthe deserti homochroa (Tristr.). (Saxicola deserti auct.) Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 515. In Eastern Algeria we found the Desert Wheatear not rare as far sonth as Ngonssa, north of Onargla; a few were seen south of Onargla, March 14, and in the “daya bou-Ziane,” April 1; in the Mzab country it was observed 50 to 60 km. south of Ghardaia and east of that town, but it was commoner in the plain of El-Arich and from El-Alia to Touggourt. On June 11 some old birds were already monlting, while others had not yet begun their moult. 56. “Oenanthe hispanica xanthomelaena (Hempr. & Ehr.). (Saxicola “amphileuca” anct.) Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 516. On March 26 and 27 common at El-Golea. A great many were seen on the 28th, but we were then already busy with arrangements for our departure sonth- wards, and shot none. The number of migrants seen during these days was so enormous that if was impossible to get series of each species, and we had to be content with samples of each ; thus it came about that only three males were shot and skinned, which are all three zanthomelaena, but two or three seen in the hands of boys, with throats cut or quills pulled out, were of the same form. Several O. hispunica were seen, but not collected, in the Southern Oued Mya dnring the second week of April, and one in the Oued Saret on April 3; whether they belonged to the eastern or western form (. 4. canthomelaena or O. h, hispanica) T could not say. 57, Oenanthe moesta (Licht.). (Saxicola moesta auct.) Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii, p. 516. Again, as in 1909, we found this species by no means rare south of Biskra, from north of Chegga to Tamerna, north of Touggourt, but we never saw one south of that town, On our journey from Ghardaia to Touggourt we came across a pair with young ‘on June 2, 25 km, east of Ghardaia. 58. Oenanthe lugens halophila (Tristr.). Saxicola lugens halophita. C£, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 517, Sia: : ae Though occasionally seen along the edges of the sebchas and chotts, the chief haunting-places of this Chat are bare hills with clayey slopes, but not rocks, though we have also seen it in the hammada south of Ghardaia, Ca) Several pairs were observed, and one shot, on the clayey hills 23 km. south of Onargla, side by side with Oe. leucopyga aegra, and again on the hills near the Hassi el-Hadjar, on March 16. 59. Oenanthe leucopyga aegra subsp. nov. (Saxicola leucopyga anct, part.) Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p- 518. A renewed examination of our now good series of thirteen Algerian adult males and seven adult females has altered my view, as expressed in Voy. pal. Fauna i. p. 700. I find that the Western (Algerian) birds are distinctly smaller, the wings of the males measuring 101—106, and once 107-5 mm., as compared with 106—109 in thirteen Heyptian and Palestine birds in the Tring Mnsenm. Connt Zedlitz (Journ. f. Orn. 1912, p. 560) gives even 105—113 for thirteen specimens (¢ and ? !) from Palestine, Sinai, and Arabia, though only 97—103 for four (¢ $) Egyptian ones. Besides the thirteen skins with wings from 106—109 we have also one female from Abu Hamed in Nubia with a wing of barely 96, but against this stands an Algerian female with a wing of only 92 mm. ; hoth these birds are apparently young individuals, The other females from Algeria have wings of 94-—100, once 100-5, against 101—102*5 mm. in five examples from Egypt and Palestine.* There is thus a marked difference in size, and, considering that 4 or 5 mm. is a lot in small birds, and that their wings can be measured to a nicety, it is worth while to distinguish the form found in Africa Minor by a special name, as above, Type of O. leucopyga aegra: 3 peradultus Gara Klima, 10. ili, 1912, No. 206. In Vig. d. pal. Fauna i. p. 700, footnote, I said that the wings of Egyptian males reach a length upwards to 112 mm., but [ cannot now find such a large one, and I am afraid that it was a mistake and should read 109; on the other hand Zedlitz quotes 105—113 for Palestine and Sinai. In Vog. pal. Fauna i. p. 700 I spoke of possible differences between the birds from Egypt (Nubia) and those from Palestine. Count Zedlitz (l.c.) believes apparently too that the latter form is larger. From the material now before me [| cannot say if these forms are separable or not, but that does not, of course, affect the status of O. 7. aegra. It strikes me that our Palestine series shows a fine glossy blue-black plumage, while those from Nubia and Africa Minor are more pure black, without a bluish sheen ; as, however, the Palestine birds are all shot in November and on December 4, and our series from Egypt and Africa Minor consists of birds collected from March 3 to June, I would like to see a series of Palestine spring birds and Western autumn specimens before separating a third, Syrian race. The extent of black on the rectrices varies, but females and young have generally more. O. leucopyga aegra was met with for the first time—one specimen only—on the top of Gara Klima, on March 10. From the clay hills south of Ouargla (see Plate IX. lower photograph) southwards these birds were seen in most suitable localities ; they were very rare—in fact only one was seen once—in the immediate neighbourhood of El-Golea, but they were common in the Southern Oued Mya * Count Zedlitz (Journ. f. Orn. 1912, p. 359) accuses me of a clerical error in giving the measure- ments of the bills as 20-24 mm., but my statements are perfectly correct, as I measured from the base of the skull, as explained elsewhere, (56 ) region. They are absent from the Erg and sandy plains, as well as from the Chotts and Sebchas, as they require rocks, clay hills, steep banks of river-beds, or at least a well for nesting. We saw the last specimens on the southern escarpment of the plateau of Tademait, two kilometres south of Ain Guettara. Though a single bird would occasionally be shy, as a rule, in spring and summer at least, these birds are very tame and confiding, and I have seen them coming up within three or four yards (south of Ouargla and in the Oued Mya), near the tent, or amusing themselves with a date-stone or picking off flies from an empty sardine-tin. In the south they were, with the exception of the quieter and less confiding Ammomanes deserti mya, the only singing birds; they surpassed in beauty many gaily coloured birds, and one did not like to shoot them, though they were common enough. I cannot quite understand how Mr. Spatz can describe these birds as rather shy. It was of course our great desire to find the eggs of these birds, It is most extraordinary that the nests are so difficult to find. Zedlitz describes this (Journ. SF. Orn. 1912, pp. 560, 561), and we too have several times searched in yain for hours for nests that we knew must be there. We have, however, found many old nests, and others with young birds, as well as some eggs, at last. A ready- made nest without eggs was found on March 10, another on the 20th, on the rocks called ‘ Djorf-el-Bagra.” On March 31 our luck seemed to have come. In the well called Hassi Marroket I located, after some quiet waiting—the old birds having been made shy by the noisy taking of water for men and camels—a nest in one of the crevices between the stones of the wall, about 24 m. from the edge; before the hole had been located, Hilgert was let down and unintentionally dipped in the water, but he operated on a wrong cleft; afterwards Ahmed-ben-Naili descended on a rope, and he brought out the two eggs with great difficulty, bat to our disgust he cracked one, and they were so near being hatched ont and so brittle, that only one could be half-way saved. It was surprising to me that we found no nest at Fort Miribel. An old nest was discovered in a loophole of one of the houses; but in spite of honrs spent in search, no nest was found in the valley, where a pair was observed coming and going. Empty nests, mostly last year’s, were several times seen among the rocks on the banks of the Southern Oued Mya, but not until April 30 was another clatch found. It consisted of three eggs ; but they were so hard-set that only two could be saved, and those with huge holes, the embryos being cut out. The next day our efforts were at last rewarded, as we found a nest with three nearly fresh eggs. The eggs are not blue, but of a glossless white with or without the faintest bluish hue, not so blue even as the palest eggs of Oenanthe leucura. The six eggs which I can measure are 22 x 16:1, 22 x 15:9, 22 x 16, 23 x 16-7, 22°5 x 162, and 22 x 164mm. Small rusty red spots are more or less confined to a zone around the large end, while some show distinctly underlying pale bluish- grey spots. Two faded eggs from an old nest found by Hilgert are smaller, and have much larger spots, but their identity could of course not be proved. The nest is always placed in holes or crevices of rocks, steep banks, or in walls of wells, round gardens, or of buildings. There is mostly a long and often wide path of flat stones laid out in front, if the nest stands far in, but this is entirely absent if the hole is not deep, as in the case of the one with three eggs found on May 1, (57) and the one down the well of Marroket. The nest consists of fine stems of various small plants, pieces of wool and hair, outside some thicker stems and fibres, and is laid out with hair and wool of sheep and hares. The number of eggs is usually three, but sometimes two only. The young bird appears to have always a black crown, at least we have never seen one with even one white feather on the head ; the central rectrices have white ends, the lateral ones apparently always black spots ; the plumage is dull sooty blackish, with brownish-white tips to the feathers of the abdomen and whitish tips to the larger upper wing-coverts. Our recent observations have convinced us that, in fact, the majority of old birds put on a white cap. Most of the entirely black-headed birds we shot have brownish quills, showing that they are only birds of last year; south of El-Golea we have only once seen black-crowned birds — 7.¢. a pair not far from Hassi Marroket. Near Ghardaia, however, such specimens were not rarely observed, but very few seem to breed in that plumage and to be really quite old birds; in the few cases where black-headed birds had paired and bred the male as well as the female had black heads, as observed by Koenig long before us. 60. *Saxicola torquatus rubicola (1.). (Pratincola rubicola auct.) Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 519. We only recognised a single individual on April 12, in the Southern Oued Mya region, which was uot shot. Evidently the Stonechat is not a common, and perhaps not even regular, migrant through the Sahara, but appears to winter principally in the northern parts of Algeria, and in Africa Minor generally, also in Egypt. Reichenow, Vig. A/r. iii. p. 732, records only the following localities in tropical Africa: Beni-Amer, teste Heuglin, Kikuju and Nandi (specimens collected by Dr. Ansorge in Tring), Naiwasha Lake, collected by Fischer, Senegal, according to statement of Swainson, and Fernand Vaz (Gaboon), teste Marche and Comp. 61. *Saxicola rubetra spatai Eri. (Pratincola rubetra spate auct.) Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 519. Was observed frequently passing through the Sahara from April 12 to the end of that month, and even as late as May 12 and 16 several specimens were observed and two females shot on the 12th, no male being seen that day. The four specimens which we collected (15. iv., 30. iv., 12. vy.) are all of the pale form called S, 7. spatz/, like all those shot in Algeria in former years. 62. *Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus (L.). Cf. Nor. Zool, xviii, p- 519. On March 20, about 184 km. south of Onargla, an old male was observed, and a fair number were frequenting the gardens of El-Golea from March 27 to 30, After that a few were seen on April 30 in the Southern Mya, on May 1 in the same region, on May 14 and 17 in the gardens of El-Golea, and on June 4 in the bushes of the Oned Nea. The specimens collected at El-Golea are typical ?. p. phoenicurus. (58 ) 63. "Diplootocus moussieri (Olphe-Galliard), Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 520, This beautiful bird is not a real Saharan species, though it winters in the northern desert. We saw a few between Biskra and Touggourt, and shot an adult male at Kef-el-Dor February 22. 64. “Luscinia megarhyncha Brehm. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 520. Three single specimens were recognised : Southern Oued Mya April 7, Igosten April 15, In-Salah April 17. 65. Chelidon rustica rustica (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 521, The Common Swallow passes through the Sahara in considerable numbers, though we have never seen a great many together. The first Swallows, which also in the Northern Sahara are harbingers of spring, were hailed on March 9 in Onargla, and after that again on the 14th. A number were seen in El-Golea from March 26 to 30, and a few, here and there, all the way down to In-Salah, where they flitted ronnd the villages as long as we were there. On the return journey a few were observed almost every day, and they were common in El-Golea May 14 to 17. After that a few were seen almost daily up to June 5, and on the 6th in Guerrara. In Temacin and Touggourt Swallows are nesting, as well as in Biskra, but not in very great numbers. 66. "Hirundo urbica urbica L. Cf. Vog. pal. Fauna i. p. 807. Our common House-Martin passed through the Sahara in great numbers. They were numerous in the gardens of El-Golea during the last week in March, and also about the middle of May, though not nesting there. A few were seen at various times in the Southern Oued Mya region and at In-Salah, April 17 to 22. : North of El-Golea, towards the end of May and in June, a few were observed here and there—the last on June 6, in Guerrara—where, however, no nests conld be traced. Apparently the majority of all these birds were typical wrdiea, as shown by a few which we shot. 66a. “Hirundo urbica meridionalis Hart. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 522. A dead bird was picked np on April 12, north of Ain Gnettara, which by the shortness of its wing (barely 104 mm.) appeared to be of this race. 67. *Riparia riparia riparia (1.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 522. Sand-Martins were observed during our first stay in El-Golea, March 26 to 28, and again as quite common from May 13 to 17. A few were seen during the second week of April in the southernmost Oued Mya region. (59 ) We were anxiously looking ont for any resident Swallows in the south. Rohlfs, who—though without any knowledge of zoology—was a most trustworthy explorer, says in his work, Reise durch Marokko, etc., 1868, p. 143, and 2nd edition, 1869, p. 164, that in the oases of Tuat a kind of House Swallow was sedentary, winter and summer, which had a square tail and grey plumage. There was no sign of such a bird in Tidikelt, and I was assured that all kinds of Swallows were only known as migrants in autumn and spring. I suppose Rohlfs saw Sand-Martins, and was wrongly informed that they bred in the oases. 68. Apus murinus brehmorum Hart. (?) Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 523. We saw a few Swifts only, in two places: at Guerrara and at El-Alia, 80 km, south of Touggourt. In the first place three or four were seen just before dusk over the town, and a pair next day on some rocks east of the place, of which we succeeded in shooting one, on June 7, Half a dozen or so caught insects at Hl-Alia, 80 km. south of Tonggourt, on June 9, in the late afternoon, and of these too we were able to get one. We cannot doubt that the latter were nesting near by, and we are sure that the pair of June 7 nested somewhere on the rocks. None were seen afterwards, except at Biskra, where dozens came on certain evenings and flew round the huge chimney of the electric works, near the station. The two we skinned are so pale that they could be taken for A. m. murinis, and the one from El-Alia is lighter than the Guerrara specimen. One from Cape Blanco (south of Rio de Oro) and three from the plain south of Biskra are equally pale, while one from Alger is much darker! Perhaps more material will prove that the birds breeding south of the Atlas are all paler, and either A. m. murinus or an intermediate form ? 69. *Caprimulgus europaeus meridionalis Hart. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 523. A single male was found in the gardens of Hl-Golea on May 14. It belongs to the pale Mediterranean form, though the wing measures 18!) mm. A male was seen at Igosten on April 23, which looked very black and large, and of which I have no doubt that it was C. e. ewropaeus. [saw it on a palm-leaf close to me, but it was afterwards so shy that I could not get near enough to shoot it with the small walking-stick gun, which was generally sufficient for collecting in the gardens, where firing with a twelve-bore was not desirable, because the shot damaged the dates and the noise frightened young and old. 70. *Caprimulgus ruficollis desertorum [rl. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 523. There must have been quite a migration through the Sahara towards the middle of May. A female was found in the open stony desert on May 11, 48 km. south of El-Golea, a male flew round the camp on the 12th, 29 km. south of Hl-Golea, and another male was shot in the gardens of that oasis on the 14th. None were seen in the Oned Nea, and there can be little doubt that this species does not breed in the desert. ( 60 ) 71. Caprimulgus aegyptius saharae Erl. Cf, Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 524. Although a typical Saharan form, this bird does not, during breeding-time, reach very far south into the desert. The southernmost places where it was found were the Oued Nea, between Ghardaia and Guerrara, and the sand district of El-Arich, where it appeared to be common, as we saw a number of young birds, though, by ill luck, no adult bird was there procured. A fine adult male, however, was shot on June 11, 40 km. south of Touggourt, between Hassi Dinar and Bledet-Ahmar; this bird was still in beautiful plumage, though the body- feathers were already in moult. Near Bledet-Ahmar is also the southernmost place where this Goatsucker had hitherto been found, by Koenig. The young birds—fully fledged Jane 4, Oued Nea—so closely resemble the adult birds that they cannot be distinguished when flashed ont of the desert erass; the blackish markings are everywhere finer, less sharply defined, the white patches on the sides of the throat only indicated, otherwise there are no differences in coloration. Quite a number of Goatsuckers got up before the diligence during our night drive from Tongyourt to Biskra, especially north of Mraier, which could not have been anything else than C. ae. saharae, their pale sandy plumage being very noticeable in the faint moonlight. On June 17, when coming up from Touggourt with the camels, Ahmed-ben-Naili found a clutch of two eggs, of which he un- fortunately broke one. The remaining one closely resembles the two I found in 1909, and measures 32°1 x 22°5 mm. 72. *Coracias garrulus garrulus L. Of. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 525, Only single specimens observed in the Oned Nea on June 4, at El-Golea on May 16, and near the oasis of Sebseb on May 27, but always so shy that we were not able to shoot one. 75. Merops apiaster L. Cf. Nov, Zool. xviii, p. 524. Only a few times did we observe Bee-eaters in the sonth: on April 8 in the Southern Oued Mya, and on April 17 and 18 at In-Salah. Neither here nor there were they nesting, but in the Oned Nea a few were seen which seemed to have their nests on the steep banks. 74. Merops persicus chrysocercus Cab. & Heine. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 524, pl. ix. Nesting on the steep banks of the Oued Nea. On June 5 a clutch of five eggs was taken, but they were so much incubated that only three could be saved. On June 6a full clutch of five, almost fresh, was dug ont, while in another hole young birds were already found. The holes were about a metre deep, One old bird was shot for identification of the eggs. The latter measure 26 x 21:1, 25 x 21, 25 x 21°4; 23:5 x 21:7, 23:2 x 22, 23:7 xX 22, 208 & 22, and 23° x 21:6 mm. ee ee a ae an (61 ) 75. Upupa epops epops L. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 525. During our first stay in El-Golea a few Hoopoes were seen in the gardens, and ov March 30 a great number were observed, flocks of five and six, and once twenty- five or thirty together—altogether we must have seen fifty or sixty within half an hour, in and about the outskirts of El-Golea. A few were seen on April 12 (Oued Mya), doubtless on migration. On June 6 I observed a pair (or at least two) in the gardens of Guerrara, and I have little doubt that they were nesting there. 76. *Jynx torquilla torquilla L. Cf, Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 526. March 27 at El-Golea; April 13, Southern Oued-Mya; April 17, In-Salah—the latter not shot. [We searched in vain for Bubo ascalaphus ou Gara Klima, where Koenig’s brother-in-law shot one. Several crevices and small caves were investigated and possible castings found, but neither here uor elsewhere, in spite of much search, did we come across any Hagle-owls. | 77. Tyto alba alba (Scop.). Only heard and seen on the mosque in Touggourt, where we could not shoot it. 78. Athene noctua saharae Kleinschm. Since writing about these Little Owls in Nor. Zool. xviii. p. 529, with Mr. Rothschild, I have reconsidered their status with the help of a very rich material, and come to the conclusion that the southern form, from south of the Atlas, must be separated from that inhabiting the northern portions of Africa Minor. These Owls, so common in some parts of Algeria, are rare and local in the actual Sahara. They were, however, not rare in the Oued Nea, where independent young birds flew about already at the beginning of June. We were especially interested in these and all other Owls, and did not often go to sleep with the fowls, as we generally watched the lamp to catch moths long after dusk. We saw, however, none of these Owls farther southwards, except once in the Oned Mya, near Tilmas Djilrhempt, on May 2; even there only this one bird was observed and shot, which was evidently a last year’s bird, and has a very short wing of 150 mm. The unmistakable note was also heard on May 24, at the Oued-el-Abiodh. 79. *“Asio flammeus flammeus (Pontopp.). (Asio accipitrinus act.) A single bird was seen sitting high up on a tamarisk bush in the desert, 80 km. south of El-Golea, April 2. It is in a peculiar plumage, the tail and secondaries being strongly worn, while the primaries, scapulars, and body plumage are very fresh. ( 62 ) 80. Otus scops scops (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii, p. 530. When we came to Touggourt, where these Owls were common in April 1909, we looked ont in vain for them, and we saw none in Ouargla, where we were told that they did not occur. In El-Golea, however, they were exceedingly common during our stay in March. On some days there must have been dozens in the officers’ gardens alone, sometimes four and five were found in one tree, and they sat even on small trees in the courtyard of the fort. At night they were very noisy; in addition to its single-noted melancholy call, which resembles that of Bombinator igneus and Alytes, one heard a louder, gayer one, and sometimes one or two syllables, reminding one of the note of an Athene. In the Southern Oned Mya the remains of a Scops Owl which had evidently been eaten by a bird of prey were found. When we came back to El-Golea, late in May, our friends had gone, though a single pair was at last heard in the oasis, where it nested, no doubt. We are not sure if these Owls nest in Ghardaia, as we did not visit the far-off oasis by night, but none were heard near the hotel and fortress. In the Oued Nea they were rare, but a nest was found with three hard-set eggs in a hole of a huge Terebinth-tree on June 4. 81. Gyps fulvus (Gm.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 530. We saw a single specimen sailing along the mountain range east of Ghardaia on June 2. Both Hilgert and I had a good look at it through our glasses, so that our identification was absolutely certain. [We were very disappointed not to see a sign of any other large Vultures in the Sahara. Paul Spatz, however, brought home four eggs taken in Mareh 1898 at a place called Hl-Anagied, said to be about a hundred miles 8.8.B. of Bir Aouine in the Tunisian desert. He was not allowed to proceed farther than Bir Aouine, but he sent his shikari Ali there, who brought the four eggs, but unfortunately no remains of the parent birds. The eggs are in the Erlanger Collection in Ingelheim. They are spotted, and agree with many eggs of Aegypius monachus* (L.), though they are not as thick and as richly marked as some of the eggs of the latter species. They measure 88 x 71, 91 x 69, 96° x 65, and 96 x 65°5 mm. There is therefore no reason why they should not be the eggs of Aegypius monachus (1i.), though those of Ofogyps auricularis are apparently very similar in size and markings. In no case can they be anything else than Aegypius, or possibly Otogyps. | 82. Neophron percnopterus percnopterus (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 531. Scarce in the Sahara, bat single specimens seen at intervals as far south as the southernmost Oued Mya, where, however, one or two young birds only were observed, one of which was at last shot. * Hitherto called Vultwr monachus, but in no case can this species be looked upon as the type of “ Vultur,” as it was not included in the genus when that was first established, in 1758, ( 63 ) [Gypactus barbatus atlantis was not observed south of El-Kantara and Biskra, and cannot be called an inhabitant of the real Sahara. The same is to be said of Aguila chrysactus. | 83. Buteo ferox cirtensis (Lev.). Cf. Nov. Zool. XViil. p. 535. Observed as far south as Ain Guettara, where also old nests were found. Entirely restricted to mountainous places with high and steep cliffs. Young birds about half-grown were brought to El-Golea on May 17. A nest with young was discovered on the 20th, which was easily accessible. It contained two young, almost ready to leave the nest. An old bird, which to our great surprise was found to be a male, was shot while bringing food. Though Hilgert sat well concealed in 2 hut built of stones and Retam branches until dusk, no other bird appeared; we therefore supposed that the female had perished, as it could not have been such a bad mother as to leave the young alone from 11 a.m. till 8 o'clock at night. Of the young ones, we skinned one, the largest, and kept the smaller one alive. Together with a young Falcon and another Buzzard which we had brought with us from El-Golea, it gave us much amusement. The Buzzards were fierce and obstinate; they refused food for a few days, threw themselves on the back and fought with their claws when one approached them ; they were wide-awake and active, running away in the open desert and climbing rocks when near the tent; they also tried to rob the Falcon of its food, but they were generally silent. The Falcon, on the other hand, was gentle and tame, fed the first day we had him, and kept up a loud cry often for hours. As a rale they did not drink, but during the broiling hot days of the second half of May they began eagerly to drink and to bathe, like the Falcon, when opportunity was given. We shot two old males, one with the uniform reddish tail of an adult bird, though there is a greyish tinge at the base; the other with a faint subterminal blackish bar and traces of bars on the outer pair of rectrices. The young birds resemble the adalt ones in the blackish brown upperside with wide rufous edges to the feathers; the underside is cinnamon-buff, with wide brown streaks on the sides of the breast; tail rufous, widely barred with blackish brown. 84. Milvus korschun korschun (Gm.). Of, Nov. Zool. xvii. p. 536. Found in the desert wherever hills and rocks are near, as far south as the southernmost Oued Mya, but everywhere very scarce, and generally seen singly or in pairs. Three eggs were taken on a clay hill with a steep escarpment near the Hassi el-Hadjar, between Ouargla and El-Golea, already hard-set, on March 17. An adult male was shot in the southernmost bend of the Oued Mya. 85. *Circus macrourus (Gin.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii, p. 536. I do not remember having seen this Harrier more than once—?e. April 3, 1912, when one or two were seen hunting Short-toed Larks in the Oued Saret. I shot one, which, though cinnamon underneath and earth-brown above, proved to be a male, with very small, narrow, elongated testicles, ( 64 ) 86. (?") Circus aeruginosus (L.). C£. Nov. Zool. xviii. p, 536. Several specimens were seen on the lake at El-Golea on March 26, and again, apparently a pair, on May 16, which might have had their nest in the impenetrable reeds. 87. Circaétus gallicus (Gm.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 537, On June 4 I found a hnge nest on an old Terebinth-tree, close to another big empty nest, on which a Short-toed Eagle was sitting very close, -hatching an addled egg. The bird proved to be a male. A single bird was clearly observed at Sebseb, 51 km. south of Ghardaia. 88. Falco tinnunculus L. C£. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 538, Two Kestrels, evidently migrating, were seen on March 14. A single female was observed at Igosten on April 15, aud again—possibly the same bird—at In-Salah, where also the remains of a dead specimen were found. A nest with four eggs (hard-set) was found in the wall of the ruined old Berber town above the abattoirs of Ghardaia on May 30, and another with half-grown young the following day. On the latter the female was caught with the hand. Evidently nesting also in Guerrara (seen 6. vi. 1912), Touggourt (12. vi.), Mraier and Biskra. 89. Falco biarmicus erlangeri Kleinschm, Cf, Nov. Zool, Xviil. p- 538. This beautiful Falcon ranges from El-Kantara, where it nests, south to Ain Guettara, where a pair was observed on April 27. It occurs, naturally, only where rocks afford opportunity for nesting. It does not, however, cling to inaccessible, huge cliffs, but most of the nests we found were accessible without ropes, some easily, others not without difficulty. On May 21 Hilgert discovered a nest with half-grown young on a cliff not more than four metres in height, and barely three above the ground. Throngh a mishap the old bird escaped us, but a female, off eggs, was shot on April 9 in the southernmost Oued Mya, and an adult male in the same region on May 4. A young bird was killed in the Oued Nea, June 4. A clutch of two, one hard-set, the other damaged, was taken, 9. iv.; another of two, almost fresh, on April 11. The eggs are placed in small caves, always protected from above, on the bare rock, and the nest is visible by the white excrements. These birds are very shy, and so are the Buzzards even there in those solitudes, where they are rarely molested. The plumage and eggs will be described in my forthcoming part of the Vog. d. pal. Fauna. 90, *Ardeola ralloides ralloides (Scop.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 539. Observed, but not obtained, at El-Golea, March 26. ( 65 ) 91. Ixobrychus minutus (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 539. (Sub nomine: Ardetia minuta.) A female shot, and another specimen seen, Hl-Golea, May 15. 92. *Kgretta garzetta garzetta (L.). Cf. Loche, Expl, Scient. Algérie, Ois. ii, p. 183: Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 119. Captain Charlet sent me a specimen from In-Salah, obtained in the autumn of 1912. 93. (*?) Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 539. Twice seen on May 16, at El-Golea. 94. *Ciconia ciconia ciconia (L.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 539. On February 9 we witnessed the arrival of the first Stork, in the early morning; on the same day a flock of probably sixty or eighty was seen from the train in the plain of El]-Outaya, near Biskra. A single stork, dirty and dishevelled, was observed at Igosten, April 15, and another—perhaps the same—at In-Salah on the 22nd. The most interesting and almost incredible information about a flight of storks is contained in a letter by Capitaine Charlet, dated In-Salah, 19. viii. 1912. The Captain writes: “The heat this year has been quite uncommon. The natives whom I saw the other day at Aoulef told me that they never witnessed it like that before; the dates are quite hardened, which means a great loss to them. “ The natives have succeeded in catching at Inrhar, 60 km. from here, in one week over 500 Storks, which descended half-dead from thirst near the water- basins in the gardens! They reckon that it is a gift of heaven to compensate them for the loss of their date-crop, and eat greedily this game of a novel description.” I need not emphasize the interest attached to this communication. I gather from it, that such quantities of storks do not, as a rule, visit Tidikelt ; why they should have been half-starved or weakened from thirst is difficult to understand, as the exceptional heat of last summer did not extend north of the Atlas, and I doubt if it takes a stork longer than a day to fly from the Atlas to Inrhar. What astonishes me most is the early date of this ‘invasion of storks—in August, as the letter was written August 19! I wrote at once, asking if any rings had been found on the legs, as it would be of great interest to know whence these storks had come, and if any were “ marked,” but so far the answer has not arrived. 95. *Plegadis falcinellus (1..). of. Nov. Zool, XViil. p. 541. An adult male, with testicles of the size of a small hazel-nut (17 mm, long), shot at El-Golea, 28, ili, 1912, 5 ( 66 ) 96. *Phoenicopterus roseus Pall. Cf. Nov, Zool. xviii, p. 541. On February 20 we found three dead Flamingoes near Bordj Saada, which had struck the telegraph-wires a few days before. According to information of some Frenchmen and Arabs hundreds of Flamingoes were observed in March on the Chott near Mraier. 97. “Anas crecca crecca L. Cf, Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 542. One examined while it was being plucked for the kitchen, at Ouargla on March 8. Said to be common at times at Ouargla and Hl-Golea, on passage. 98. “Anas querquedula L. Cf. Cat. B. Brit, Mus. xxvii. p. 293 (* Querquedula circia”) ; Loche, Expl, Scient. Algérie, Ois. ii. p. 376 (Pterocyanea circia). One shot at Ouargla, March 9, when three or four others were seen, and another examined there a day or two after, which was shot by the hotel- keeper. Many Ducks of various kinds visit the Chotts near Onargla and elsewhere, and still more, apparently, the lake at El-Golea, but we were too late in the latter place for them ; their shooting requires time, as they are generally very wild and every sportsman is after them. Some ducks seen at a distance at Hl-Golea in March appeared to be Anas penelope. 99. Columba livia livia L. Cf, Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 543, Not found among the mountains of the central Sahara, where we visited them. The southernmost place where we saw any was at Sebseb, May 26, where there were a good many, of which a young bird was obtained. Also seen at Ghardaia. 100, Streptopelia turtur arenicola (Hurt. L.). (? Partim !) Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 543. ; Turtle-doves were once seen at In-Salah and at Igosten, where a male was shot, which is so dark that I cannot say that it differs from S. ¢. turtwr of Central Europe; it is, however, a bit greasy, and fat darkens the colours very much; it was shot from a flock of five or six; and its testicles were 2 cm. long and 6 mm. thick. A number of Turtle-doves were seen at El-Golea in May, and a few single ones on passage north of In-Salah and in the Southern Oued Mya, on April 25 and 28, and May 5, also on May 8, but none could be shot. A single adult male, with enlarged testicles, was killed 76 km. south of Ghardaia. Many breed at Ghardaia, Touggourt, Mraier and Biskra, evidently also at Guerrara, where a ? was shot on June 7, which is somewhat dark for arenicola, but not quite dark enough for S. 4, turtur. CSF) 101. Streptopelia senegalensis aegyptiacus (Luth.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 543, Great numbers nest in the oases of Ghardaia, and they are by no means rare in Guerrara and Ouargla, nor yet in Touggourt, Mraier and Biskra, They are, however, absent from El-Golea and In-Salah. This is very interesting, as it proves that the distribution of this tropical Dove has not taken place through the Sahara, but by way of the coast, #7 Marocco. 102. Pterocles alchata alchata (L.). C£. Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 544. Hundreds passed over the desert in the morning and evening south of Biskra, and especially near Nca ben Rzig, where we shot several on February 25. Apparently confined to the northern desert. 103. Pterocles senegallus (L.). C£. Nov. Zool, xviii, p. 544. This species goes evidently farthest south in the Sahara. We saw thousands coming from the Chott near Ket-el-Dor, south of Biskra, and they were common near Ouargla, in March. A few were seen near El-Golea, and a female shot on May 16. At certain times they are said to appear in great numbers near El-Golea. We were disappointed not to come across a breeding-place between Ghardaia and Touggourt, where none were observed. (There can be little doubt that Daubenton’s “ Gélinote du Sénégal,” on which the name “ senegallus” is based, never come from the Senegal,| though a closer exploration of the Senegal is still a desideratum.) 104. Caccabis petrosa spatzi Rchw. Cf. Nov. Zool, xviii. p, 544. Very common in the Oued Nea, where they had half-grown and two-thirds- grown young during the first week of June. It is also found in the river-beds south of Ghardaia, as far south as the Oued el-Abiodh, where we came across it for the first time on June 25, coming from El-Golea. They had there already about half- grown young. Also found in small numbers near El-Kantara, where one was obtained this year; this specimen is a shade more greyish than the others, but this is probably due to the wonderful freshness of its plumage, as it was shot three aud a half months earlier. 105. *Coturnix coturnix coturnix (L.). C£. Nov, Zool. xviii. p. 545. We had expected to see much of the migration of (Juails, but this was not the case. There were Quails about Hl-Golea in March, but as they were hidden in the fresh fields, which we did not like to enter, we did not shoot any. A single one was met with in the Southern Oued Mya region, on April 9, ( 68 ) 106. (?*) Fulica atra (1.). Cf. Nov, Zool. xviii, p. 545. Several Coots were seen on the lake of El-Golea, where they are said to be resident and breeding, since some years. 107. *Megalornis grus grus (1.). Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii, p, 546. Cranes flew overhead, londly calling, on February 20, in the evening at 7.30 and at 8 o'clock. 108. Houbara undulata undulata (Jacquin). CE, Nov, Zool, xviii. p. 546. Ranges from Biskra south to the valley of El-Meksa in the Erg-bent-Chaouli, south of El-Golea, and perhaps even farther southwards, On March 31 some adult birds were shot, and four nestlings canght 46 km. south of El-Golea, near the Hassi Okseibat, on a sandy plain with many stones and a good deal of fine vegetation. The first down is above of a pale cream-colour, more white on neck, head and rump, with rufons-brown patches and black lines, under- neath white with rusty rufous markings and a few blackish lines on the throat. The iris is dull pale orange-brown, feet yellowish green, bill horn-black with white point on tip of culmen. The next moult brings forth, on the upperside, cinnamon-buff with black fringes and slate-coloured bases. 109. Burhinus (Oedicnemus) oedicnemus saharae Rchw. (?). Cf, Nov. Zool, xviii. p. 547; Mandl. Brit. B. p. 163. We only came across this species on two occasions.