1 76 Mr. 0. Salvin's Five Months' Birds' -nesting 



salt lakes form so marked a characteristic of the range, was our 

 next resting-place, from which we gradually felt, as it were, our 

 way westward to Djendeli. In this neighbourhood we passed 

 the remainder of the month of May, our final camp, in June, 

 being situated on the borders of a small marsh which lies to the 

 westward of the high road between Constantine and Batna. On 

 quitting this spot, we proceeded to Constantine, and thence 

 to Philippeville, after having parted with our horses, tents, and 

 every disposable thing. At Philippeville we took the coasting 

 steamer to Algiers, and bid a final adieu to North Africa on the 

 11th of July. 



The following observations are taken from notes made with 

 reference to the specimens shot and the eggs collected during 

 the expedition, and are given, with a few exceptions, nearly as I 

 have them written. 



1. Gypaetus barbatus. (The Lammergeyer.) 



The first opportunity I had of observing this finest of birds 

 was in the neighbourhood of Souk Harras in the first week in 

 April. In a ramble in search of a spot for our encampment, we 

 discovered an eyrie in one of the stupendous cliifs that charac- 

 terize that district. It was quite inaccessible ; and we had to 

 bear our disappointment, as well as a good wetting, and return to 

 the hotel (if the house where we put up may be designated by 

 such a title) after an almost fruitless day. We were not then 

 aware that the eggs of this species had long been hatched. On 

 encamping at Djebel Dekma on the 4th of April, more frequent 

 opportunities were afforded us of becoming acquainted with this 

 bird. This mass of precipitous rocks is one of the most interest- 

 ing and curious in the country. The strata form an angle of 

 about 20° with the vertical, and, dipping towards the north, 

 present a comparatively flat face with bushes and shrubs growing 

 out of the interstices. The southern cliff is more broken and 

 the strata much more horizontal. Towards the east these two 

 parallel precipices dwindle to nothing, while westward they are 

 abruptly terminated by another broken precipice which cuts the 

 first two at right angles. In the centre of this group, and at 

 its highest point, the whole mass is parted, leaving a rugged 



