( 512 ) 



piping note ; bat they also have a fine flnte-like song, beginning high and sinking 

 in a scale towards the end. In the da}'ats we found many nests, but none with 

 eggs. 



05. Turdus viscivorus deichleri Erl. 



In the Vdff. d. pal. Fauna i. p. (U9 the N.W. AfVican Jlistle-tlirush is 

 distinguished on acconnt of its hnge bill. The account of the Tliruslies was written 

 before we went to Algeria in 1909, and the judgment on 7'. r. deichleri was 

 jirincipally based on a series from tlie S.W. Atlas in Morocco, collected by 

 Ri^genbach, which all have hnge bills. Unfortunately we only obtained a male 

 and a female near Lambfese. These do not show the hnge bills of the Moroccan 

 birds, bnt their beaks are slightly larger than in European birds. A better 

 series from Algeria must be compared before deciding whether more than one 

 race occurs in N.W. Africa. 



On May 1 1 a fresh nest, ready made, but without eggs, was found by Hilgert 

 above Lambtse, where Mistle-thrushes are not rare. 



In 1911 we only obtained a female in the oak forest of Djebel Taya, in 

 North Algeria, on February 14. This has the bill still smaller than the Lamb6se _ 

 specimens. The wing measures 150 mm. We believe it to be a migrant from 

 Europe. 



96. Turdus philomelos philomelos Brehra. 



{Turdus musicus auct. errore, nee L. 1758 !). 



A common winter visitor in the northern and central parts of Algeria, and 

 we have shot it as far south as El Kantara (March 11, 1909). Near Algiers it 

 was abundant in February 1909 and 1911, and it was extremely common near 

 Hamniara Meskoutine in February 1911. A few were seen at Biskra early in 

 Mardi 1911. 



97. Turdus merula mauritanicus Hart. 



We have collected a tine series of Blackbirds in the oases of El Kantara and 

 Oumash, near Biskra, and they are iudistiuguishal)le from our Moroccan birds 

 (types of T. m. mauritanicus from the Mhoiwla, on the banks of the Gum R'biah, 

 a day's march inland from Mazagau). 



The females are very constant and very dark, the underside sooty grey 

 without brown. Bill orange. 



We found eggs in April at Biskra and Oumash, and on May 3 in the oasis 

 of El Kantara. We also obtained a clutch near Lambfese on May 8, but 

 omitted to shoot the bird. The eggs resemble those of European Blackbirds in 

 every way. 



98. Turdus merula algirus (Mad.). 



Tlie North Algerian Blackbird is not rare in North Algeria. It is common 

 near Hammam Meskoutine, and in the oak-woods of Ain Mokra, on Lake Fetzara, 

 not rare near Algiers and in 'the woods about Hammam R'hira. 



The females are of the same colour as those of T. merula mauritanicus. In 

 fact, the only diflerence is the smaller size. Tlie wings of the females measure 

 118—120 mm., against 118—128 (mostly considerably above 120) in mauritanicua. 

 The wings of the males (we obtained altogether six) measure 120—121, once 126, 

 and once, in a male shot at Alger, January 31, 1911, 130 mm.! This last bird 

 is not typical, of course, being rather mauritanicus according to its size, but it 



