200 ■ NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXI. 1914. 



This is the first time that the occurrence in Algeria of this species has been 

 alisolntely proved. Loche's statement of its " verv accidental " occnrrence in Alj;eria 

 was based merely ou the statement of Malherbe. This is, however, what MaJherbe 

 (" Fan lie Orn. de I'Alg^rie," in Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Moselle 1855, p. 15) says : 

 " Cette espece, vendue frequemment a Paris comme originaire de I'Algerie, parait 

 en realitti provenir dii Senegal, snivant S.A. ]e prince Ch. Bonaparte et M. le baron 

 de Sel3'8-Longehamps." 



On April 10 Mr. Rothschild saw, between Tonggonrt and Biskra, two 

 Swallows, which were probably specimens of Ch. dauricu i-iifula, bnt in any case 

 the jiair from West Algeria, on the road between Tleracen and Lalla Marnia, are the 

 first ])roof of the species in Algeria. Its occnrrence in that country is, however, not 

 very strange, as it breeds regularly in various parts of Marocco, and is occasionally, 

 bnt not very rarely, caught b}' native birdcatchers in Tunisia, when they are netting 

 ordinary swallows in tlie autumn. 



That CIt. i/aurica nijula nests in Algeria is proved by the fact that we found 

 two old uests under the bridge near which the pair were shot. 



We cannot see any appreciable difference from examples from Palestine and 

 elsewhere. The wings measure alike in the male and female — i.e. 118'5 mm. 



Probably these birds are found in other jiUices in West Algeria. 



72. Riparia riparia riparia (L.). 

 A few were seen on passage at Ain Sefra in the middle of May. 



73. Hirundo urbica meridionalis Hart. 



Common near Tlemcea during the second half of A])ril. These Martins are 

 migratory even in N.W. Africa (Tunisia, Algeria), but we do not yet know how 

 far south they extend their winter-quarters. 



74. Apus melba melba (L.). 



Nearly a liuiidred Alpine Swifts were observed close to the town of Orau on 

 Ajiril 13, where they would apparently breed. Also near the town of Tleiucen 

 and again at Aiti Sefra a pair were observed twice in May, bnt we did not find out 

 where they nested. 



75. Apus apus apus (L.). 



A great many Black Swifts flitted over the ])lain west of Lalla Marnia on 

 April 27. We shot several ; the wings of the males measure 177-lM), those of the 

 females 170-172 mm. 



One of us saw three or four near Ain-Sefra in May. 



70. Apus aflBnis galilejensis (Antin.). 



This species, of the occurrence of which in Algeria we had, so far, no positive 

 proof, was met with at Ain Sefra in May. Where they nested we did not find out, 

 but they were occasionally seen in pairs or small flocks along the river bed and 

 over the plantation. As we did not see them in the town, their nesting places were 

 probably on the mountains. The wings of the three males we obtained measure 

 1115-107 mm. 



