Ornithology of Northern Africa. 159 



birds seem as little inclined for assimilation as the wingless 

 reamers over these wastes. 



If, then, we assume North Africa to terminate where the last 

 traces of vegetation disappear in the desert, we shall find but 

 14 Algerian non-European species recorded. These are — 



Aquila ncevioides. Chloropeta pallida. 



Buteo tachardus. Parus ultramarinus. 



Falco punicus. Parus ledouci. 



Hypotriorchis concolor. Lanius algeriensis. 



Pica mauritanica. Gecinus vaillantii. 



Garrulus cervicalis. Picus numidicus. 



Fringilla spodiogenia. Microcarho algeriensis. 

 Ruticilla moussieri. 



Of these, Falco punicus is said to have gained a claim to the 

 European list, having been shot in Malta by Col. H. M, Drum- 

 mond. Picus numidicus there seems fair authority for believing 

 to occur not unfrequently in the cork forests of Andalusia. Fri^i- 

 gilla spodiogenia can scarcely be considered as more than a local, 

 but constant, variety of Fr. coelebs. Lanius algeriensis is, if not 

 identical, at least closely allied to L. meridionalis. Gecinus 

 vaillantii differs very slightly from our common Gecinus viridis, 

 and may be only a local variety. Microcarbo algeriensis is hardly 

 to be distinguished from Microcarbo j^ygmaus ; and Chloropeta 

 pallida, a species recognized by Prince Bonaparte, with all due 

 deference to so great an authority, seems to me to be separated 

 for no solid reason from the Sylvia elaica of Temminck. Prince 

 Bonaparte makes the difference to consist only in its smaller 

 size, but I have obtained specimens fully equalling the recorded 

 measurements of S. elaica ; and I cannot help believing that a 

 more careful examination will eliminate this species, as it has 

 Sylvia familiaris, now admitted to be identical with Sylvia ga- 

 lactotes. Hypotriorchis concolor is given by Captain Loche as 

 occurring in the province of Constantine, but no specimen exists 

 in the Algerian collection. Captain Loche has never seen one 

 himself; and as Falco eleonorce is not uncommon there, it seems 

 most probable that this bird, in its fine uniform black plumage, 

 has done duty with some French collector for F. concolor. 



