88 Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker on Tunisian Birds. 



rn\e, the Tunisian Arabs are quieter and less pretentious than 

 the Algerians, and without that veneer of civilization and 

 education which is sufficient to spoil, but insufficient to 

 improve the native mind. 



Leaving Feriana on the 31st March, en route for Gafsa, we 

 took a new road, lately opened, to the west of Sidi-Aich, near 

 which place we made a halt last year, and encamped that 

 evening at Saharidj, close to the ruins of a Roman cistern. 

 The following morning we started for Gafsa, which place we 

 finally reached late in the evening, after a long and somewhat 

 eventful day, one of our party having managed to lose his 

 way in the morning and not turning up until late in the 

 evening. He, however, atoned for the anxiety he had caused 

 me by producing a specimen of the rare Lark, ChersopJiilus 

 margaritce, which he had been fortunate enough to secure 

 en route. The country between Saharidj and Gafsa was 

 particularly rich in bird-life, the abundant winter rains having 

 produced a luxuriant vegetation and filled the sti'eams and 

 rivulets, which, as a rule, are dry in these districts. Besides 

 the above-mentioned Chersophilus margarita, I secui'cd spe- 

 cimens of Saxicola aurita, Sylvia conspicillata, Argya fulva, 

 Lanius dealbatus, and of six other species of Larks. I may 

 here observe that I was particularly fortunate this year with 

 the Larks, getting examples of eleven or twelve different 

 species in all. 



At Gafsa, according to previous arrangement, T met ray 

 second party, just returned from the south of the Chott Djerid, 

 and received from my friends an interesting account of their 

 journey and doings since we parted company. 



The 2ud of April was ushered in ])y a storm exceeding in 

 intensity any previously experienced in Gafsa — at least, such 

 was the opinion of the " oldest inhabitant.^' It certainly 

 entirely shattered the belief I had previously entertained in 

 the almost complete immunity from rain that these southern 

 districts are supposed to enjoy. The following day, the 

 weather being fairly fine, we spent some hours in the Gafsa 

 oasis, obtaining a few specimens of small birds, chiefly 

 Warblers and Finches, and devoted the remainder of the 



