(543) 



101. Columba livia livia L. 



The Rock-dove is resident iu suitable localities iu various parts of Algeria, 

 from the north coast to Biskra and Ghardaia. One sees it on the fields of the 

 Tell-country, and especially numerous at El Kantara and on the rocks near 

 Biskra. 



192. Streptopelia turtur arenicola Hart. 



Nov. Zunl. i. p. 42 (1891. — Persia and X.W. Africa. Type : Fao, Persian Gulf, Cumming coll.). 



The Turtledoves from N.W. Africa vary a great deal, but the cinnamon- 

 brown feathers of the mantle and on the wings are paler than in T. turtur turtur. 

 This can easily be seen when a series is compared. Persian specimens appear to 

 agree perfectly with onr Algerian series. 



A summer resident in the north and south of Algeria, breeding from the 

 Atlas (Hammam R'hira, Hammam Meskoutine) to the oases of the desert : 

 Biskra, Onmash, and very numerous in Berrvau and among the palm-groves of 

 Ghardaia. 



193. Streptopelia senegalensis aegyptiacus (Lath.). 



The Senegal Turtledoves from the countries north of the Sahara are 

 distinguishable from the tropical T. scnrgalensia senegalen.<iis chiefly by their larger 

 size, the wings being about 1 cm. or more longer. As a rule the rump is much 

 less or hardly at all tinged with blue, though younger males and females of 

 the tropical form have also brownish rumps. The colour of the scapulars and 

 inner wing-coverts is duller and not so reddish, the tips of the black jngnlar 

 feathers of a different, more rosy, less cinnamon rufous. 



Tills pretty Uove is never found north of the Atlas, or, in fact, anywhere 

 except in extensive groves of date-palms. It is therefore found in the oases of 

 Biskra, Onmash, Tolga, Zaatsha, all through the Oned R'hir, in Touggourt, 

 Teraacin, and El Oned. It is also extremely common in Ghardaia and Berryan, 

 though in the latter place it is perhaps outnumbered by Turtur turtur arenicola. 

 The bird is not migratory, but absolutely resident. 



Plate V. iu the Journ. f. Or/i. 1905, meant to show the differences between 

 Turtur senegali'iisk' seneqalen.iis, ae<ji/ptiacus, and the supposed (but untenable) 

 " aequo torialis" is quite misleading. One has the impression that the upper 

 two fi.gures represent S and ? of aegi/ptiacus, the lower the typical senegalensis. 



Professor Koenig says that he found this Dove from El Kantara to Wargla. 

 Onr reliable and careful friend, however, must have made a mistake — either from 

 a slip of his memory or his pen — for it is certainly never found in the oasis of 

 El Kantara. We have spent many an hour in the palm-grove>; of that oasis, and 

 have asked Arabs and Frenchmen, who knew the liird well IVoni Biskra, but its 

 occurrence could in no way be confirmed. 



Also Tac/.anowski (.Journ. f. Orn. ISTO. p. oTj e.xpressly states that it is not 

 fonn<l iu El Kantara or other of the higher oases. 



Eggs were found in March and April, and at El Oned young ones already 

 fledged about the middle of April. 



194. Pterocles arenarius (Pall.). 



This species is common enough in the semi-desert — as, for e.xample, in the 

 plain of El Outaya and near Biskra — but very shy, as it is much songht after 



