( 498 ) 



wliitc wings spread out, or swiftly running along the sand, the colour of whicli it 

 bears to perfection, is a striking and wonderful object. 



The nests we fonud were always placed on the top of a bush — generally 

 Limoniastrum or Salsola — and were com])osed of twigs of Linioniastrum and 

 other bushes, thickly felted together with risps and dry flowers, as well as cobwebs. 

 Among the dunes near Bordj M'Gaitla, east of Tonggourt, we found little young 

 birds ou April 5, while between Touggourt and Biskra several fresh nests did 

 not yet contain eggs by April 20. 



The little )oung ones taken from the nests have tlie same colour as the old 

 birds, even the spots on the chest being visible, though small. The iris was 

 brown, the bill horn-colour, gape yellow, tongue yellow with the tip and two spots 

 near the base black, feet pale flesh-colour. 



The Comte de Dalmas obtained this Lark at Cape Blanco (Bale do L^vier), 

 west coast of Sahara, in May 1 895, when cruising in his yacht along the coast. 



In 1911 we observed the Bifasciated Lark near Laghouat, on the sands 

 south and east of the town, but only in small numbers. 



40. Eremophila alpestris bilopha (Temm.) 



This beautiful little Lark is eouspiouons by the black markings on the head 

 and throat, as well as from its peculiar call-note. It is never found in Northern 

 Tunisia, nor among the mountains of the southern parts we visited, and not 

 even near Biskra. It inhabits stony plains in the true desert, and is therefore 

 not uncommon near Bordj Chegga, between Biskra and Touggourt. It was there 

 that we found it on April 19, 20 and 21, and collected nine specimens. It was 

 tamer than most other Larks, and once seen easily obtained. The iris is dark 

 brown, feet black, bill blackish horn-colour, base of lower mandible pale bluish. 



Mr. Aharoui sent us a large series of this bird from the North Syrian desert, 

 near Karyatain, Rhoda and Palmyra, where it is common. 



South of Laghouat began another region suitable for this Shorelark, antl we 

 found it common enough southwards to the region of the Dayats and near 

 Ghardaia. Here again we were most unfortunate in not tindiug a nest. At 

 Laghouat we were undoubtedly too early, and so we were apparently at Tilrhempt, 

 ■where a bird was actually observed scratching out a little depression for the 

 nest, which it afterwards forsook. Near Ghardaia, however, we shot a female 

 with an egg more thau half full-size, so tbat the time was there evidently nearly 

 right. Also here we found these Larks qnite fearless. They prefer the stoniest 

 desert, if it is not quite bare of vegetation, and especially where Helianthcmam 

 liiitum, a plant with beautiful yellow flowers in April, is thriving. 



47. Anthus trivialis trivialis (L.j. 



From the end of March and throughout April the Tree-Pipit passes through 

 Southern Algeria ou migration. We obtained specimens at Biskra, between Biskra 

 and Touggourt, and near EI Oued. 



4.N. Anthus pratensis (L.). 



This species also jKisses through Algeria, and we obtained a female at 

 " Fontaine Chaude," near Biskra, on March 19, 1909. It was common near 

 Hammam Meskoutinc and Biskra in February 1911. 



