Birds of the Province of Constantine. 553 



Titmouse -were also common ; and now and then Moussier's 

 Busli-Chat, perched, Chat-like^ on a tree or stump, or a Bar- 

 bary Partridge would be seen. At times our surroundings 

 were much like Sherwood forest at home, if for the hoary- 

 oaks were substituted evergreen oaks, and for the whitethorn 

 trees stunted junipers. We gradually ascended the mountains, 

 the higher we went vegetation becoming less luxuriant ; and 

 finally, as we reached the summit and looked down upon Oued 

 Taga, the fair scene of verdure had almost passed away, and 

 bare hill-sides and the snow-capped peaks of Djebel Mahmel 

 had taken its place. Oued Taga stands on a little eminence 

 surrounded by towering hills, and is but a small place, com- 

 posed of a few Arab houses surrounded by flourishing gardens. 

 A letter from the Kaid had preceded us, and we were made 

 welcome. At sunrise on the following morning we were 

 making preparations for an early start, intending to make 

 the ascent of Djebel Mahmel, the second highest mountain 

 in the Djebel Aures. Our route was through a barren and 

 stony country, here and there studded with barley-patches 

 belonging to the Arabs, whose tent villages we occasionally 

 passed. In crossing over one of these stony plains I shot 

 from the back of my mule the new and interesting Chat of 

 which further particulars will be given anon. Sometimes we 

 would pass through a clump of evergreen oaks or junipers, or 

 cross a purling stream of snow-water. Getting as far as pos- 

 sible with our mules, we left them and finished the ascent on 

 foot. This mountain disappointed us, from a collector's point 

 of view ; but the prospect from near the summit was a charm- 

 ing one. All round us lay the Aures mountains stretching 

 away as far as the eye could reach, peak upon peak and hill 

 Ijeyond hill, conspicuous amongst them all being the lofty 

 summit of Djebel Chellia, one of the highest mountains in 

 Algeria, with the snow still lying thickly on its brow. We 

 got back to Oued Taga a little before sunset, leaving the 

 following morning for Lambessa and Batna again. 



We arrived at Batna in the evening, and set off again the 

 following morning for Biskra, some seventy miles still further 

 to the south. For the first few miles out of Batna vegetation 



