in the Eastern Atlas. 355 



dart passionately down to within a few feet of the intruder's 

 headj retiring again to make another descent. When the first 

 transports of excitement are over, they all alight one by one on 

 the ground. Some stand quite still, watching with inquiring- 

 gaze; while others stretch themselves out, first expanding one 

 wing, then the other, and sitting down extend both legs. In 

 this position they remain some seconds as if dead, when, sud- 

 denly springing up, they make another circuit over head, and 

 the whole flock passes quietly away. The bird makes no nest, 

 but deposits its three eggs in a slight depression of the bare 

 sand. The eggs are usually placed with their axes parallel. 

 We several times visited places where numbers of these birds 

 were breeding ; yet we never succeeded in finding a young one, 

 though many of the eggs were on the point of being hatched. 

 This fact certainly favours the idea that on leaving the egg the 

 young are capable of running like those of other Gralla. 



107. Charadrius pluvialis. (Golden Plover.) 



I several times saw flocks of Golden Plover near the city of 

 Tunis in February and the beginning of March. 



108. tEgialites cantiacus. (Kentish Plover.) 



Occurs in abundance along the shores of the large lagoon of 

 El Baheira which lies between Tunis and La Goletta. We 

 afterw^ards found it breeding on the borders of most of the salt 

 lakes in the interior. 



109. tEgialites minor. (Little Ringed Plover.) 



In the neighbourhood of the marsh of Zana, we more than 

 once met with this bird, but were unsuccessful in obtaining its 



p (r (TO 



110. Grus cinerea. (Crane.) 



The Crane is found in Tunis in great numbers during the 

 winter months, frequenting the large plains. On one occasion, 

 between Tunis and Oudcna, I counted 108 of these birds on 

 the wing at once. They are said to be migratory, and pro- 

 bably they seek their breeding haunts in the continent of 

 Europe. 



111. Anthropoides VIRGO (Demoisellc Craiic) . 



Towards the eastern extremity of the marsh of Zana I several 



2c 2 



