Mr. J. H. Gurney, Jun., un the Ornithuluyy of Algeria. 81 



heard at a great distance (though not further than the notes of 

 some of its congeners). Its flight is moderately swift, but not 

 direct. Its tail is never still a moment ; and, as in the other 

 Wheatears, the jerking action is always accompanied by a slight 

 vibrating motion of the wings. 



The ratio of females to males is as one to eight. In other 

 countries a similar disproportion has been noticed; and some 

 observers have been led to state that the sexes were alike. A 

 specimen shot in March had the black feathers of the throat all 

 tipped with grey — the remains of its winter plumage, I presume. 



43. Saxicola homochroa (Tristr.). Solitary Chat. 

 Identified for me by Dr. Tristram. 



44. Pratincola rubetra (Linn.). Whinchat. 

 Common. 



45. Pratincola rubicola (Linn.). Stonechat, 

 Common. 



46. RuTiciLLA PHCEXicuRA (Linn.). Redstart. 

 Common after the 27th of March . 



47. RuTiciLLA TiTHYs (Scop.). Black Redstart. 

 Algiers and Blida. 



48. RuTiciLLA MoussiERi (Olph Gaillard). Moussier's Red- 

 start. 



I obtained a fine male of this species in a ploughed field at 

 Miliana, upon an offshoot of the Little Atlas, 700 metres above 

 the sea. It was alone, not far from a path by which ran a small 

 stream of water ; I also shot two females at the foot of the hills, 

 where the soil was sandy. Its occurrence at Miliana was inter- 

 esting, as Dr. Tristram had considered Boghar to be its extreme 

 northern range in the western part of Algeria. There I also got 

 a specimen, high up again in the mountains ; but it was not until 

 I arrived at Guelt el Stel that I found the species plentiful. At 

 this place a good many trees grow, and I observed that these birds 

 perched freely on them ; but I have also seen the Stonechat on a 

 tree. In the Mzab country I did not see any, strange to say. 



R. moussieri is a shorter, stouter bird than R. phoenicurn, 

 hence it cannot hop or fly nearly so quickly, except when pur- 



SER. III. VOL. I. G 



