Birds of the Province of Constantine. 559 



of the Kestrel, yet not nearly so graceful — a far heavier 

 flight, and apparently performed with much greater exertion. 

 Sometimes the whole flock were close above the ground ; 

 then they would mount the air till they looked no larger 

 than Swallows — wheeling, sailing, fluttering, and hovering in 

 all directions. They seemed in no hurry to quit the place ; 

 and we saw them still busy after insects as we returned in 

 the evening. They uttered no note whatever ; and by far the 

 greater number were in the Hobby-like dress of immaturity. 



Falco subbuteo. 



We saw one specimen of the Hobby on the road between 

 El Guerrah and Batna. 



Falco tinnunculus. 



The Kestrel is the commonest of the smaller Raptorial 

 birds. We did not observe it S. of El Kantara. 



Circus ^ruginosus. 



The Marsh-Harrier is a fairly common species in all dis- 

 tricts suited to its habits. 



NOCTUA GLAUX. 



Generally distributed. We found two nests of the Southern 

 Little Owl. One was under a large rocky boulder on a hill- 

 side at Lambessa, the other in a low range of steep mud 

 banks by the side of the Oued Biskra, at Biskra. Both nests 

 were quite inaccessible. 



Pious vaillanti. 



We only met with the Algerian Green Woodpecker in the 

 cedar forests W. of Batna, and in the evergreen-oak forests 

 on the road to Oued Taga from Lambessa. Although the 

 bird appeared so rare, the timber in many parts of these 

 mountain-forests bore evidence of its repeated visits. 



Iynx torquilla. 



Mr. Elwes shot a fine specimen of the Wryneck at Biskra, 

 the only example we saw. 



CUCULUS CANORUS. 



We found the Cuckoo pretty generally distributed wherever 



