Bird- Life of Eastern Algeria. 151 



84. Saxicola torquata rubicola (L.). Stoiiecliat. 



Not uncommon in the north, but not noted south of 

 Coustautine (J). Common in February at Biskra, El Kan- 

 tara, H. Meskoutine and Kroubs (W). Common on 

 hillsides near Ain ]\lokra : nest with five iucubated eggs 

 on May 7 (R). 



85. Saxicola rubetra (L.). Whinchat. 



Whiiichats (subsp. ?) were met with near Bordj Saada 

 from April 26 to 28, and were also noted near El Outaia 

 on April 17. Tliey looked dark in colour and may have 

 been migrants (J). A pair at Batna, April 8, 1910 : also 

 one at H. Meskoutine on April 19, 1911 (W). 



86. Phcenicurus ochrurus gibraltariensis (Gm.). Black 

 Redstart. 



Common at El Kantara in February. Also noted at 

 H. Meskoutine (VV). 



87. Phcenicurus phcenicurus (L.). Redstart. 



Noted at Chetmah, near Biskra, March 3;), 1910, and at 

 El Kantara on March 31. Also many at Kroubs on 

 April 17, 1910 (W). These probably were P. p. phceni- 

 curus on migration, but a few seen among the ilex trees 

 above Lambese on May 2, 1914, were almost certainly 

 P.]}. algeriensis (J). 



88. Diplootocus moussieri (Olphe- Gall.). Moussier's 

 Redstart. 



Common on the hills between Batna and Lambese, and 

 in small numbers north to Ain Djendeli and south to 

 Biskra. The breeding habits of this bird are especially 

 interesting on account of its two very dissimilar types of 

 eggs. The blue eggs hardly vary at all, but some clutches 

 of white eggs show a faint bluish tinge, while others are 

 pure white. We devoted a good deal of time to this species, 

 and were successful in finding some twenty-five nests, con- 

 taining ninety eggs. Of these thirty-eight Avere white and 



