( 544 ) 



and shot at. It was not observed south of Bordj 8aada, but occurs along tlie foot 

 of the hills, near Zaatsha and Tolga. 



105. Pterocles alchata alchata (L.). 



Although nndonbtedly common enough in many districts sontli of the Atla'^, 

 we did not have the good fortune ever to shoot at one of these Sand-grouse, tliougli 

 once we saw it in great masses south of Biskra, and have received skins from 

 Ijaghouat. 



19(1 Pterocles senegallus senegallus (L.). 



('ontniry to what Whitaker says of Tunisia, where he found it the least 

 [ilentiCul of the four species of Sand-gi'onse, we found 1'. sfnff/all'Hs abundant south 

 of Biskra, and even not very far from the Oued Biskra, near the frequented road 

 to Sidi Okba. Every time we visited Algeria we were able to collect some 

 s])ecimens, and once shot over twenty in one day, when we might have got many 

 more if they had been of any nse to us, and we had remained longer in the ))lace 

 where we got them, as they always returned there to drink. This species is a true 

 inhabitant of the desert plains, but is not found in the mountains, nor in the region 

 of the sand-dunes. 



It is noteworthy that each species of Pterocles has au entirely different note, 

 and by this means we also recognised P. coronatiis near Mrair and at (ihardaia, but 

 never came near it. 



On April '.^2 a female was got with a fully develojied egg. 



107. Caccabis petrosa petrosa (Gm.). 



The northern dark form of the " Barbary Partridge" is very common in 

 North Algeria, from the Mediterranean coast to the mountain forests of the Southern 

 Atlas near Batna and Lambese, but it does not seem to occur at any high 

 altitudes. We have also recently received some from Laghouat. 



We were able to collect a very fine series near Hamman Meskoutine, all of 

 which agree in the main. Occasionally specimens are found which have the niij)er 

 chest-feathers chestnut-red in the middle, only the base and edges being grey. 

 This same variety is also found in the other races. The iris is red-brown or rufous, 

 bill dark red, bare skin round eyes pale orange-red, feet red. 



Comparing our Algerian series with a good series from Sardinia, we have not 

 detected any ditfereix'e whatever. 



198. Caccabis petrosa spatzi lieicheuow. 



This pale subspecies is widely spread over the southern jiarts of Algeria. It 

 does not, however, seem to be very numerous in most ]ilaces, and we were not able 

 to get more than two specimens, being greatly hamjiered by the game laws, which 

 forbade shooting game-birds after January. 



€. petroxa siiatzi orcurs sparingly on the river banks of the Oued Biskra and 

 Oued Djeddi, and near El Kantara. It is also found in the dayats and at Berryan, 

 the northernmost oasis of the Beni M'zab, and Professor Koenig found it on the 

 Oued N'(;a in the M'zab country. 



Our Algerian specimens agree with tyi>ical Tunisian spatzi. 



