564 Mr. C. Dixon on the 



spring in England, they were fairly common. This bird 

 must be an exceedingly local one, as we met ^Yith it no- 

 where else in Algeria. They were not at all shy; and I 

 shot our first specimen from the back of my mule as Ave 

 slowly picked our way over the stony tract. In its habits it 

 closely resembles other members of this genus, flitting from 

 rock to rock, occasionally taking a more extended flight close 

 above the ground, perching on stones or the summit of a 

 stunted bush to warily watch the intruder. We did not hear 

 it utter a note; nor did we see any females. It is possible 

 that this bird is confined to a few favourite localities in the 

 Djebel Aures; or it may be that it winters in the Great 

 Sahara, and repairs northwards to these upland solitudes to 

 rear its young. As is usual in such cases, we failed to note 

 the value of our prize, and only shot two males. I have 

 associated this fine species with the name of an ornithologist 

 whose researches are intimately connected with this group of 

 birds, and whose knowledge of them stands unequalled. 



Pratincola rubicola. 



We found the Stonechat in scattered pairs at Constantine, 

 near Philippeville, and also at Batna. 



Pratincola rubetra. 



We only saw the Whiucliat at Constantine, on the plains 

 below the cedar-range west of Batua, and at Lambessa. 



Pratincola moussiert. 



We did not meet with Moussier's Bush-Chat until Ave 

 reached Batna. Thence to the oases of El Kantara and 

 Biskra it is pretty generally distributed in all wooded dis- 

 tricts and gardens. It was far more common in the upland 

 districts than on the plains, and affected rocky haunts equally 

 as much as wooded ones. The habits of this bird and its 

 general appearance are midway between those of the Bush- 

 Chats and the Redstarts — more those of the former than of 

 the latter. It perches far mbre freely on trees and bushes 

 than on rocks, and when alarmed usually enters the deepest 

 parts of the coveii;. Von Homeyer, in his revicAv of Dresser's 

 ' Birds of Europe ' in ' Der zoologisclie Garten ' (September) 



