( 547 ) 



the stony plateau between Laghouat and Ghardaia, and occurs in the great sea 

 of halfa grass on the "Hants plateaux." 



Like all Bnstards it is very shy, and aronnd Biskra it is most difficnlt to get a shot 

 at one. The Arabs, however, trap it in the breeding season and bring the birds as well 

 as their eggs into Biskra and otlier places for sale — a most aljominable habit, which 

 will soon exterminate them in the neighbourhood of that town. On the great 

 plateaux, which are very thinly populated, they still hold their own in undiminished 

 quantities. They often rose quite close to the motor when we travelled to and 

 from Ghardaia. A number of eggs measure 64 x 45, 62 x 44'3, 64'8 x 4.3, GO x 45, 

 60 X 45, 65 X 45, 67-7 x 40, 66-5 x 455, 57-5 x 451, 61'5 x 441, 61-2 x 455 mm. 



211). Oedicnemus oedicnemus saharae Rchw. 



Although we do not consider this form a "distinct species," as Prof Reichenow 

 calls it (see vSharpe, Hamllist Birds i. p. 172, note), it was perfectly correct to include 

 it in the Ilamflist, as many forms are included which are similarly closely allied 

 subspecies. Comparing a series of these birds with a series of European ones, 

 one notices at once the more sandy tint of the upperside, and especially the back, 

 and the narrower black streaks on the crown, back, and scapulars oi' saharae. Some 

 specimens, however, of 0. o. oedicnemus — ^as for example one from Ahlsdorf in 

 the Brehm collection — come close to saharae, and some of the latter are darker 

 on the back, thus somewhat approaching 0. o. oedicnemus. Nevertheless 0. o, 

 saharae must be treated as a distinguishable snbsjjecies. 



We found 0. o. saharae not rare near Biskra, and met with it also near the 

 dayats, in the neighbourhood of Tilrhemjit. We did not come across it in North 

 Algeria, where (according to Whitaker) the darker form would have to be expected, 

 though we have never seen any others than pale ones from N.W. Africa. Two 

 specimens from Gnelma in North Algeria in the British Museum are also pale. 



The iris in the birds we shot varies from sulphur to almost golden yellow ; 

 eyelid sulj)hnr-yellow ; feet dull sulphur or straw-yellow ; bill black, basal half 

 sul]ihur-yeliow. Some eggs measure 51-5 x 37-5, 52 x :58-4, 51-8 x 38-1,51 x 36-'J, 

 52-6 X 376 mm. 



We are now acquainted with the following forms of Oedicnemus : 



0. oedicnemus oedicnemus {h.) : Europe. (Apparently wintering in N.E. Africa, 

 and perhaps in N. Algeria and N. Tunisia.) 



0. oedicnemus saharae Rchw. : N.W. Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia ; 

 Eastwards through the Sahara to Egypt and Palestine, and perhaps Asia Minor; 

 also Malta. 



0. oedicnemus insularum Sassi : Eastern Canary Islands, Fuertaventura and 

 Lauzarote. — Upper surface very much like that of 0. o. oedicnemus, but slightly 

 mure rul'escent ; shaft-stripes on throat, jnguium and breast heavier and reaching 

 farther backwards, especially on tlie sides, right down to the flanks. Wings 

 shorter : three specimens, two male and one female, in the Triug Museum, 

 212—226 mm. 



U. oedicnemus subsp. : Merv, East Persia, Indian desert to Sirsa district. 

 This form closely resembles 0. o. saharae, but is not so sandy, more pale greyish 

 on the upperside, and the dark brown spots on the back are much narrower, 

 forming meiely broad shaft-stripes. Wings 235 — 245 mm. 



It is difficnlt to say whether this bird should be called ('. oedicnemus scolopax 

 S. G. Gmelin, described from the south-west end of the Caspian Sea, without 



