THE BIRDS OF ALGERIA. 6r 



sufficiently soft state in one or two places. In 

 these the Martins literally swarmed, and the mud 

 was nothing but a moving mass of birds. The 

 barracks at Batna contain the most extensive 

 colony of this species that I ever saw. 



264. The Sand Martin Cotyle riparia (Linnaeus), 

 is a summer visitor to Algeria, and is not known 

 to winter in even the remotest of the southern 

 oases. I found it breeding in suitable localities 

 from a little north of El Kantara to the coast. 



265. The Crag Martin Cotyle rupestris (Scopoli), 

 is a summer visitor to Algeria, and breeds locally 

 in the mountains. I only met with this species in 

 the stupendous pass of El Kantara — the gate of 

 the Sahara — where it breeds commonly. 



266. The Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa griso/a, 

 Linnaeus, is best known as passing through Algeria 

 on spring and autumn migration — when it literally 

 sw^arms from south to north — but a comparatively 

 small number remain to breed. I met with this 

 species in all parts of the country. It abounded in 

 the oasis of Biskra, and was common in all wooded 

 and cultivated districts. 



267. The Pied Flycatcher Muscicapa alricapilla, 

 LinucPus, is a resident in Algeria, and widely dis- 

 tributed from the more northern oases to the coast, 



