158 Rev. H. B. Tristram on the 



M. Malhcrbe published an appendix to his Paper in 1847, 

 containing four more non-European species — Aquila rapax, 

 Aquila naevioides, Falco punicus, and Caprimulgus isabellinus. 

 With the exception of the diagnoses, M. Malherbe^s work is 

 a mere catalogue, with a few notes, which, as they are com- 

 piled by one who never visited the country, are very incorrect 

 as to the localities and comparative rareness and abundance of 

 species. 



That our knowledge of Algerian birds has advanced since 

 1846, the catalogue of Capt. Loche, published last year, and 

 containing 357 species, is a sufficient proof. Yet of this num- 

 ber (rivalling the portentous roll of the ' Zoologist ' list of 

 " birds observed in Britain," though guiltless of Asiatic Grakles 

 and Australian Spine-tailed Swifts), there are but 42 non-European 

 species, including the 8 previously described by Malherbe. 

 Besides these, Capt. Loche gives a supplemental list of species 

 said to be Algerian, but which he has not met with himself. 

 Of these I succeeded, in 1856, in obtaining three, viz. Sylvia 

 philomela, Sylvia sarda, and Sylvia olivet orum. The 1st No. of 

 'The Ibis' contains diagnoses of 9 species brought by me from the 

 Sahara, supposed to be hitherto undescribed ; and I may add also 

 2 species, first obtained by me in Algeria in 1856, but described 

 by M. Brehm in Oct. 1858, in "Naumannia," from Abyssinian 

 specimens, as Dromolea leucopygia and Dromolea leucocephala. 

 Thus our latest ornithological knowledge gives us 371 Algerian 

 species, of which 53 are not known to have occurred in Europe. 

 But even this list, on a careful analysis, must be enormously 

 reduced. For what are the natural limits of North Africa ? 

 Surely the northern fringe of the Great Desert, incorrectly termed 

 by us the Sahara. French conquest and French alliances have, 

 it is true, included a vast desert territory politically in Algeria, 

 though a great portion of this is only nominally dependent, and 

 knows no more of French jurisdiction than two hasty visits of 

 flying columns of cavalry could impart. The Touariks profess 

 to be allies of the Emperor, and the ' Moniteur ' once announced 

 that the tricolor is now respected up to the walls of Timbuctoo. 

 No tricolor, however, has yet been adventurous enough to in- 

 voke any outward mark of respect in these regions, and the 



