Ornithology of Northern Africa. 157 



my arrival, but none of much interest, except a second of C'etti's 

 Warbler, with the hen bird caught by the foot in a horse-hair 

 noose. Humanity compelled me (somewhat reluctantly, I must 

 confess) to release her, after robbing her. 



The next day I arranged to devote to the wonders of the lake 

 itself, well satisfied with my first foray among the Warblers of 

 Halloula, which had added a new bird to the Algerian catalogue, 

 and two new birds and three additional sorts of eggs to my 

 collection. 



Soon after daybreak we started on the lake in a decayed punt, 

 the buoyancy of which we insured by filling it with tightly fastened 

 bundles of reeds, so that if waterlogged, as it very soon was, it 

 could not sink. A long pole was all we required for propul- 

 sion among the mud and weeds, as the open water evidently 

 contained nothing to repay our researches. Numerous flocks, 

 indeed, of the Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls [Larus 

 melanocephalus and Larus ridibundus) were screaming overhead ; 

 but these had not yet begun to breed (if indeed the scarce Larus 

 melanocephalus does breed at all in Algeria, of which I never 

 obtained any actual proof) ; and hundreds of lovely Terns were 

 hovering about, or dipping headlong into the dark still water. 

 These likewise were deferring all attention to domestic duties to 

 the next month. I shot several, and found most of them to be 

 the Whiskered Tern [Sterna hj/brida) ; but mingled with them 

 were many of the Black and Lesser Terns [Sterna nigra and 

 S. minuta). Sterna hybrida is easily distinguished by its note, 

 which is less shrill and more rapidly repeated than that of S. 

 nigra ; but in general appearance it very closely resembles the 

 Sterna arctica, so familiar on our own Northumbrian coasts with 

 its lake-red bill and feet, its black head and generally sooty 

 plumage. I looked in vain for Sterna leucoptera and S. anglica, 

 the former of which is said to be found here, but of the occur- 

 rence of which at Halloula I never obtained authentic evidence. 

 But the principal feature of the open water were the myriads 

 of Crested Coots [Fulica cristata), Wigeons, and Pochards. The 

 W' igeon never remains to breed ; but flocks of them still lingered, 

 while a month later not one was to be seen. The Crested Coot 

 appears in no way to difl'er as to its habits from its well-known 



