24 JOTTINGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



80. The Black-winged ^'n\:v^Himantopusmckui- 

 optenis, Meyer, is a resident in Algeria, breeding near 

 the various lakes, and wintering commonly in the 

 oases, where Canon Tristram asserts that it resorts 

 to the ditches. This species is a very interesting 

 instance of the local migration prevailing so ex- 

 tensively in Algeria. 



81. The Common Pratincole G /areola prat inco la 

 (Linnaeus), breeds commonly in Algeria, but whether 

 Canon Tristram's statement, that this bird is " ex- 

 tremely abundant near marshes or lakes," refers 

 also to its distribution in the country in winter is 

 uncertain. Other evidence points to the fact of 

 this species being only a spring migrant to Algeria, 

 retiring beyond the Desert to winter. Taczanowski 

 did not appear to have met with it. 



82. The Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius 

 s:;aUicus (Gmelin), is a resident on the bare desert 

 plains and amongst the sand-hills in the Sahara ; 

 how far southwards its breeding range extends into 

 the Desert sub-reo:ion is not known. Canon Tris- 

 tram asserts that this species is less abundant in 

 winter than in summer, so that there is evidently 

 a southern migration towards the Great Libyan 

 Desert in autumn. The Arab name for this species 

 signifies " Camel-pricker." 



