Birds of the Province of Constantine. 569 



Strangely enough, Taczauowski does not include this species 

 in his list of the birds of Constantiue. 



SiTTA ? 



Mr. Elwcs saw a Nuthatch (but unfortunately failed to 

 secure it) in the evergreen-oak woods between Oued Taga 

 and Lambessa. 



Parus ultramarinus. 



In all the evergreen-oak and cedar forests round Lambessa 

 and Batna the Ultramarine Titmouse is a common bird. 

 We also met with this species at Philippeville. The note of 

 this bird is very diflferent to that of its near cousin the Blue Tit- 

 mouse ; and its bright plumage, contrasting so richly with the 

 grey tints of the lichen-covered branches, makes it most con- 

 spicuous. As they flit so restlessly amongst the foliage, or 

 climb about the twigs, their bright plumes call to mind the 

 refulgent dress of the Kingfisher. Although it was the middle 

 of May, they were but just commencing to breed, as we re- 

 peatedly saw them with nest-materials. 



After an examination of the series of Titmice from the 

 African continent and the Canaries in the British Museum, 

 and also those in the collections of Messrs. Seebohm and 

 Dresser, I am compelled to separate again the island birds 

 from those of the mainland. Parus teneriffce is an excellent 

 species, and may always be distinguished from its ally, P. 

 ultramarinus f by the absence of the pale tips on the greater 

 wing-coverts and the very indistinct tips to the innermost 

 secondaries, which in that bird are broad and conspicuous *. 

 It has also, on an average, a slightly longer tail. 



Parus major. 



We saw the Great Titmouse in the same localities as the 

 preceding, with which it freely consorts. 



Parus ledoucii. 



The Djcbel Aures are evidently the stronghold of the Al- 

 gerian Coal Titmouse. It was not until we reached Lam- 

 bessa that we made the acquaintance of this well-marked and 

 interesting little species. Here I shot a pair in the evergrecn- 

 * [Cy. F. D. Godman, Ibis, 1872, p 172.— Edd.] 



