106 Mr. H. M. Dmmmond : List of Birds found 



tirely composed of old birds. The eggs of these birds vary like those 

 of the F. domestica, which they closely resemble. 



Fringilla C(£lebs.~] 



F. cannabina. \ Common about Biserta ; probably breed there, 



F. Montium. ^ as they were seen as late as the middle of 



F. citrinella. \ May. 



F, Carduelis. J 



Cuculus canorus. Common about Biserta. 



Upupa Epops. Very common ; probably breed : seen as late as 

 the 21st of May. 



Merops Apiaster. Very common during the passage : the first of 

 these birds made their appearance this season the 27th of April, none 

 seen after the 15th of May. I could not ascertain if any remain. 



Alcedo Ispida. Only one seen at the Goletta 2ist of April. I un- 

 derstand they are common in winter. 



Hirundo rustica.'] t,t ^ - ^^ tt .• t 



H urh'ca I Most numerous, especially H. rustica : 1 saw no 



H.riparia. J signs of their building. 



Cypselus alpinus. Only two seen, on the tops of Gibel Tschar. 



C. murarius. Very numerous. 



Caprimulgus europceus. A few seen as late as the 10th of May. 



Columha Livia. Very common : breed in the old wells about the 

 ruins of Carthage. 



C. Turtur. Very common : breed in the olive-groves. 



Pter odes arenarius.\^Y ery common about ten miles from Tunis 



P. setaritis, J and throughout the interior : sedentary. 



Perdix petrosa. Most numerous, especially at the upper lake of 

 Biserta and throughout the interior ; rare in the immediate vicinity 

 of Tunis. A young covey was found as early as the 22nd of May : 

 sedentary. 



P. Coturnix. Most numerous, especially about the ruins of Car- 

 thage during its passage, which I understand commences about the 

 beginning or middle of March, and lasts until the end of May : a very 

 few only remain. 



Hemipodius lunatus. Occasionally found near Tunis and Biserta. 

 Sir Thomas Reade assures me that these birds do not migrate. 



Glareola torquata. The first of these birds made their appearance 

 the 24th of April, and after that were most numerous, especially on 

 the muddy flats between the lakes of Biserta, where they were so 

 tame that they would unwillingly take wing though approached 

 within a few feet, and would almost immediately settle again. 



Otis* houhara. These birds are never found near the coast, but as 

 they are not unfrequently met with in the interior, it is perhaps as 

 well to mention them. They are very wary and difficult of approach, 

 frequenting the dry arid j^lains, and are only taken by means of 

 hawking, of which amusement the Arabs are excessively fond. Sedi 

 jMohammed, the Bey of the Camp, keeps a number of falcons trained 

 for the purpose. 



* I could obtain no account of the Otis tarda ever having been met with 

 in this regency, though it is I believe common in otlier parts of Barbary. 



