Mr. J. H. Gurney, Jun., on the Ornithology of Algeria. 69 



journey, I must, however, mention the dayat* of Tibrem. In 

 1857 Dr. Tristram found in this dayat no less than " seven pairs 

 of Golden Eagles, each of which had their nest^^ (Ibis, 1859, 

 p. 283) . Being undisturbed they were perfectly fearless, and he 

 " twice walked under a tree and brought down a fine specimen 

 with No. 7 shot." The Eagles have gone; but never shall 

 I forget the throngs of birds which teemed wherever there 

 was water — Pied Flycatchers [Muscicopa luctuosa), Hoopoes 

 {Upupa epops), Woodchats {Lanius auriculatus) , Rollers {Cora- 

 cias garrula), Moorish. Magpies {Pica mauritanica). Every tree 

 of any size had not one, but several nests. As we rode along, 

 Ravens {Corvus corax), Egyptian Vultures {Neophron percno- 

 pterus), and Kestrels {Falco tinnunculus) flew before us, mingling 

 with noisy Shrikes {Lanius algeriensis) and groups of startled 

 Sandpipers. 



I saw many birds which I did not know ; but we could not 

 stop to secure specimens of them. On the fourth day we saw 

 the wished-for landmark of the Mzab town of Berryan. Erom 

 that place, after resting three days, we travelled to Gardaia, 

 which is the chief city of the Mzab confederation. Standing on 

 a gentle eminence crowned by the never-failing mosque, its flat- 

 roofed houses rising tier above tier, amongst ever-green Palm 

 trees, Gardaia, once seen, is not to be forgotten. 



Her gardens are very extensive ; and nothing can surpass the 

 glorious luxuriance of her vines, trained from Palm-stem to 

 Palm-stem. Every Fig- and Peach- and Apricot-tree was loaded 

 with green fruit, giving promise of an abundant harvest ; and 

 when the broken rays of the evening sun shed " a golden path- 

 way " through the mass of foliage, the effect was superb. 



As might be expected, so rich an oasis affords food and shelter 

 for many species of birds. The Egyptian Turtle-dove {Turtur 

 (Bgijptiacus) is so common that one has only to take one's stand 

 in a garden and load and fire until enough have been shot. On 

 every well and gateway sit Pallid Shrikes {Lanius dealbutus) ; and 

 in the city itself the House-Bunting {Fringillaria saharce) chirps 

 defiance from the flat roofs of the houses. 



* Dr. Tristram defines a dayat as " an imimprovable oasis, in whicli 

 there is no constant supply of water to be found at any depth " (Ibis, 

 1859, p. 278). 



