( 541 ) 



the bird was "Oghrab larjun," while in Morocco Hartert was told its name was 

 " Oghrab el bain," both names apparently meaning another kind of Raven, 

 (" Oghrab" = Raven). 



After tliis information our hopes ran high, and the next morning Hartert and 

 Hilgert went otf to the steep rocky ridges, in a bitterly cold, blinding north-east 

 wind and rain. Their researches, however, were in vain. There was no sign of the 

 coveted prize, and the Arabs raised the question if it was not perhaps a little 

 too early. This did not seem very likely, but in West Morocco Riggenbach 

 declared positively that these birds only returned to their breeding-places earlv 

 in April. 



On A]iril 3 we continued our journey soutiiwards, seeing or hearing nothing of 

 the bird, e.xcept in the little caravanserai of Guelt es Stel, where the keeper told 

 ns that he knew the Bald-headed Ibis well, but it did not occur near his place, 

 and was only known from the rocks near Boghari, where he himself had shot 

 one not many years ago. 



On our way back, on Ajiril 29, we made together another search on the rocks 

 and along the river, but neither did we see it on the fields or river banks, nor on 

 the rocks, although Hartert visited the highest and sheerest cliffs and climbed right 

 over the two most rugged, though more accessible ridges. This was bad luck, as 

 we could not stay longer at Boghari, and the birds were certainly on their breeding- 

 places at that time of the year ; and an Arab shejiherd told us he had seen some 

 near the river only a few days ago, but there were not many of them, and it was 

 a chance when one saw them. A French gentleman, however, hearing of our 

 researches, promised to send us one of these birds, which he hoped to come across 

 in I\Iay ; and actually, on June 2, he sent us a beautiful adult male. 



This history proves again how tenaciously birds keep to their homes, and that 

 it is always worth while to explore places where certain birds were found as long as 

 fifiy or sixty years ago or longer ; unless nature or cultivation has altered a place 

 entirely, or the birds (like Rapaces in Europe) have been wantonly destroyed year 

 after year, the same birds will, as a rule, be found where they had their home 

 before. 



178. Plegadis falcinellus (L.). 



We only saw the Glossy Ibis once, on April 15, north of Tamerna, on the 

 route to Touggourt. 



170. Phoenicopterus roseus Tall. 



On February 1!), 1008, we saw a great quantity of Flamingoes on the shalinw 

 lake between El Guerra and Batna. In lOOO, about March 20, Flamingoes occurred 

 south of Biskra. One was received from Arabs by a tourist, one was caught alive 

 and brought to us, and a dead one found near Bordj Saada. On April 1 (i a 

 decayed dead Flamingo was found north of Tamerna, between Touggourt and 

 Biskra. 



180. Tadorna tadorna (L.). 



Ajiparently not rare in the winter months, seen occasionally im Lake Fetzara. 



181. Anas platyrhyncha (L.). 

 (Anas boschas anct.) 

 Seen in some numbers on Lake Fezzara in February. 



