( 509 ) 



and less white 'm the middle of the abdomea The sides are almost of the same 

 colour as the throat. Wings of onr ten males : 59 — ^61 mm. 



Syhia cantlllans caidillans Pall. 



This form was not rare near Biskra in March 1908, and we found it in the 

 desert between Touggourt and El Oned, early in April, and at El Oued itself They 

 mnst have been on migration. A male shot at Batna on April 16 evidently bt'longs 

 to this form as well. 



The rnfous colour of the underside in this form is more reddish, less cinnamon 

 than in S. c. inornata, and the sides are much paler than the throat, the white in 

 the middle of the abdomen is more extended. Wings of males 59 — -60 mm. Some 

 males — not only antunin birds — are pale vinous underneath. 



Si/loia cantillans albistriata (Brehm). 



We found this bird — doubtless on migration — east of Touggourt, on A]iril 12, 

 and near Biskra and Ouniash in March and early April. 



In colour these birds are not dift'erent from <S'. cantiUans cuntillans, except that 

 the edges to the wings appear to be less butfy brown, but the second primary is 

 longer, and the wing much longer : 63 — GT mm. 



87. Sylvia conspicillata conspicillata Temm. 



We found this Warbler fairly common near Biskra and Uumash from 

 February to April, and shot it near Zaatsha. Lt was breeding also, in small 

 numbers, near Laghouat and Batna. 



A Very pretty nest was found in a small heap of dea'i branches of Zizi/pkui 

 near Laghouat, April 25, 1911. It contained two eggs of a pale greenish buff 

 colour, covered all over with tiny greenish brown spots and dots. i'hey are 

 rather pointed, and measure 17 x 127 and 16 x 12'5 mm. 



These birds have a spring moult, for specimens shot during the tirst half 

 of March were moulting their body plumage. 



88: Sylvia sarda Temm. 



We shot, in 1909, four sjjecimens of ''Marmora's Warbler" : a female at Biskra, 

 March 18, a male at El Kantara, March 2, and two females near El Kantara, 

 March 6. Iris : cJ light oclire ; ¥ dull ochre or dull cinnamon-brown ; orbital 

 ring pale brick-red ; feet pale orange flesh-colour. 



These birds were doubtless on passage. 



In 1911 this bird was ijnite common at Biskra from February 21 to the 

 middle of March. The body plumage of most of the birds shot was moulting, 

 and in one case the tail also. 



89. Sylvia deserticola Tristr. 



This somewhat rare species breeds commonly in the .Southern Atlas range, 

 the so-called Aures Mountains, near Batna and Lanibe.^e, and spends the winter, 

 when these mountains are freiineutly covered witli deep snow for some time, 

 in the desert, where it was discovered by Tristram. Dixon and Elwes found 

 the bird on its breeding-ground near Batna, where its life- history was fully 

 studied ten years later. 



