150 Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain on the 



crevices a few feet from the ground, but I Lave seen nests 

 almost on the ground under boulders on a rock-strewn 

 hillside, and in one case in a cleft between two big rocks. 

 A wall of loose stones is built up in front of the nest, but 

 the amount of material used is much less than in the case 

 of (E. I. syenitica. We were especially anxious to obtain 

 well authenticated eggs of this species, as most of those in 

 collections are quite unreliable. Fortunately the parent birds 

 proved to be extraordinarily bold after the nest had been 

 discovered, perching within a yard or two and even entering 

 the nest-hole while we were still close at hand. The clutch 

 varies from three to five in number, often only three, and it 

 is not uncommon to find one infertile egg in the nest. The 

 eggs are very pale bluish, not unlike those of (E. leucura, 

 but are frequently devoid of markings, or else they appear 

 only on one or two eggs in the clutch. They are also 

 decidedly smaller on the average, but large eggs of (E. Ingens 

 approach closely to small eggs of (E. leucura. The breeding 

 season is variable : some birds have eggs by the end of 

 March, and I have seen fledged young on April 21, but 

 fresh or slightly incubated eggs, as well as young, were 

 found between April 20 and 29 fJ). 



83. (Enanthe leucura syenitica (Heugl.). African Black 

 Chat. 



First met with on the hillsides between Batna and 

 El Kantara : very common at the latter place and round 

 the plain of El Outaia. This species constructs a regular 

 breast-wall and sloping approach of loose flat stones, about 

 two inches across, up to the nest, which is generally in some 

 hole or crevice of a rock, but occasionally also in the steep 

 mud-bank of a wady. Clutch usually four, sometimes five. 

 Fledged young in the remarkable black and Avhite juvenile 

 plumage were met with at El Kantara on April 16, and 

 fresh eggs from April 18 to 30 (J). Nest M'ith young at 

 Timgad on April 9, 1906, and fledged young at Fontaines 

 Chaudes on April 11, 1912 (W). 



