Birds of the Province of Constantine. 567 



Sylvia galactodes. 



We only saw the Rufous Warbler iu the oases of El Kan- 

 tara and Biskra. Far from being exclusively a marsli-loving 

 species, it frequents bare situations, and may be seen on the 

 tops of the walls that divide the Arab gardens, flirting its tail 

 in a peculiar manner, and hopping along the ground similar 

 to a Robin or a Chat. I shot a fine pair of these birds in 

 one of the prickly-pear gardens at El Kantara — a dry arid 

 place some distance from the water, and the last situation 

 in the world where I should have expected to find such a 

 species. This bird is a thorough Sylvia. 



ACROCEPHALUS PHRAGMITIS. 



It was only at Biskra that we obtained specimens of the 

 Sedge- Warbler. However, this and many other species of 

 Warbler must have been overlooked ; for, taking into consi- 

 deration the skulking habits of these birds, and the dense 

 and tangled nature of their favourite haunts, it was impos- 

 sible, with the short time at our command, to search closely 

 for them. 



Hypolais opaca. 



We shot two examples of the Western Olivaceous Tree- 

 Warbler in the oasis of Biskra. One of these birds was 

 perched right up in the branches — a veritable ''tree'^ warbler; 

 but the other was in the dense scrub on the banks of the 

 Oued Biskra. The habits of this species are lively and 

 trustful.- It may be often seen hovering in the air iu chase 

 of insects. 



Phylloscopus bonelli. 



Mr. Elwes shot a fine specimen of Bonelli^s Willow- Warbler 

 in the evergreen -oak forests on the hills between Lambessa 

 and Oued Taga. I suspect it breeds commonly throughout 

 the Djebel Aures. 



Regulus ignicapillus. 



We found the Firecrest very common, both in the ever- 

 green-oak forest above Lambessa and in the cedar and pine 

 forests west of Batna. 



