NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXI. 1914. 189 



12. Fringilla coelebs africana Lev. 



We found the Algerian Chaffinch at Oran and Tlemcen, and a few were 

 seen in May in the plantation of Ain Sefra, wiiere tliey apparently nested. AH 

 these birds agree with other Algerian examples in the general colour and the 

 amount of white on the secondaries. They vary, however, in size ; the wings 

 of the Oran and Tlemcen male specimens measuring as a rule about 87, but in 

 one case 92, and that of onr single Ain-Sefra male also 92 mm. 



13. Petronia petronia barbara Erl. 



An adult male was shot at Tlemcen on April 24, and Mr. Faroult sent us 

 a skin from Gaelt-ea-Stel, halfway between Bogharl and Djelfa, in tiie province 

 of Alger. 



On May 19 we observed Petronia near Saida. 



14. Passer hispaniolensis hispaniolensis (Temm.). 



We never saw for certain a Spanish Sparrow at or near Oran, but they were 

 not rare in the olive-growths around Tlemcen towards the end of April, though 

 not observed in the town. 



On April 27 large flocks of Sparrows were seen among the corn-fields west 

 of Lai la Marnia, close to the Maroccan frontier, and a couple of shots yielded 

 four fine adult typical males of I', h. hispainolcnsix and a number of females. 

 The males, like those from Tlemcen, were all broadly striped along the sides. 



15. Passer domesticus tingitanus Loche. 



Sparrows were numerous in the town of Oran. All that could be watched 

 and one adult male obtained were pure grey-headed birds. 



They were equally common in and all around Tlemcen, and all we watched 

 and seven which were skinned are pure grey-heads, without any sign of adrai.xtnre 

 with P. hispaidolenHiit, which was not rare in the olive plantations outside the 

 town. 



At Ain Sefra Sparrows were also common among the houses aud in the 

 plantations, but all which we saw and shot were pure grey-heads, and we never 

 observed the Spanish Sparrow at Ain Sefra. Tlie Sparrows nested here in houses 

 and poplar trees. 



We have thus, so far, no evidence whatever of hybridisation of the two 

 species of Sparrows in West Algeria, while one male shot at Hammam R'hira, 

 in the province of Alger, has the crown chestnut mixed with grey (sides unstriped). 



Many of the Algerian House Sparrows have no more black bases to the 

 feathers of the crown than they have iu Europe, though in a series the greater 

 amount of black on the feathers of the crown is evident, and in some cases it 

 covers most of the pileum ; this is of course no evidence of hybridisation with 

 P. /lisjjaiiiolensiii. Compared with European Sparrows the rump is paler, and 

 very often — though not always — the narrow white superciliary line is more 

 developed. 



1 6. Emberiza calandra calandra L. 



The Corn-Bunting was the commonest of all birds seen along the railway line 

 from Alger to Oran and near Oran and Tlemcen. It was also observed at 

 Lalla Marnia. 



