(503 ) 

 ^3. Muscicapa hypoleuca speculigera Bp. 



lliisckapa atriai/iilla sjirculigcra Bp,, Hartert, Vijg. pal. Fuiiiin i. p. 482. 

 Muscicapa hypoleuca specul/gera t.c. i. p. xxxix. 



Wliitaker (/?. Tunisia i. p. 180) erroneously ileuies the possibility of separating 

 this well-marked subspecies from the European form, and the differences have been 

 fully pointed out by Erlanger and Hartert, I.e. We found this form not ram 

 during May near Lambi-se, and obtained three beautiful males, which bear out 

 every one of the distinctive cliaracters. None of them has any white in the tail. 

 The iris is dark brown, bill and feet black. 



64. Muscicapa hypoleuca hypoleuca (Pall.). 



{Muscicapa atiicapilla auctorum.) 



We met this bird on passage near Biskra in April, also near Batna in April l."") 



(1908), at Mraier, half-way between Touggourt and Biskra, April 18, and at 



El Oned, Ajiril s. All these specimens were males; one had an entirely lirown 



upperside, and none of the others an entirely pure black upper surface. 



65. Muscicapa striata striata (Pall.). 



The Spotted Flycatcher passed through Biskra on migration in April 1908. 

 In 1909 we found it common at Hammam Meskoutine, during the second half of 

 May ; it was undoubtedly -' at home," in its breeding place, though we did not 

 find nests — probably because it was still too early. A bird shot near Algiers, on 

 May 4, was also probably a breeding bird. In spite of the closest examination, we 

 are not able to find any character by which (o distinguish the Algerian birds from 

 Continental European ones. This is the more surprising as the form from the 

 islands of Corsica and Sardinia (J/zAsc/crt/^a .striata ti/n-heiiica Schiebel, Orii. Jahrh. 

 1910. p. 102 ; Parrot, Orn. MonaUher. 1910. p. 154) appears tu be different. Half 

 a dozen specimens from Sardinia in the Tring Mnseum have the spotting on the 

 forehead much less distinct, more washed out, and the striations on the underside 

 also a little less distinct. The supposed differences in the colour of the upperside 

 and size mentioned by Parrot are not borne out by our Sardinian examples. 



In February we did not find any Flycatchers at Hammam Meskoutine, nor were 

 any noticed at Hammam R'hira in May. On passage the species was not rare in 

 the dayats about the middle of April. 



06. Phylloscopus sibilatrix erlangeri Hart. 



Vijg. pial. Fauna i. p. 510. 



Unfortunately we are not able to add much to the history of this somewhat 

 doubtful form. We found it fairly common in the pine-woods near the town of 

 Algiers, from May 4 to 0, 1908, and collected three specimens. The familiar 

 shivering song of the English and German bird was not heard. An adult male 

 was also obtained half-way between Touggourt and Biskra on April 18. These 

 birds are rather light and yellowish, but the difference is very slight. No nest 

 was found ! 



67. Phylloscopus collybita coUybita (Vieill.). 



We have not found the Chiffchatf breeding in Algeria, bat it is common in 

 winter and during migration. The latest date was a female shot at Biskra on 

 April 21, 1908. At Laghouat it was common on April 5 and 8. 



