'il4 First Impressions of Tunisia and Ahjeria. [Ibis, 



scene we awoke next morning. The train was nearing 

 Algiers, rushing through the most luxuriant countryside, 

 woods carpeted with wild flowers, orchards in blossom, 

 vineyards, acres o£ waving corn, and fields which looked 

 greener than those in southern France ! Goldfinches and 

 Chaffinches and many woodland birds were seen on all sides; 

 everywhere there were streams swollen beyond their banks. 

 The town of Algiers — even if one stays at Mustapha 

 Superieur — is not in itself a convenient place from which 

 to observe bird-life. Although the pine-woods at the back 

 of Mustapha seemed full of the common species, and Green- 

 finches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Corn-Buntings, etc., were 

 observed in some numbers in the neighbourhood, the district 

 is too populated to be really of much interest to the orni- 

 thologist. Two Cuckoos were seen and heard in a pine-wood 

 close to the hotel on 27th March — the first we had met with 

 during our travels, and the only true birds of passage noted. 

 Our last excursion was to the Ruisseau des Singes and the 

 grand Gorge of Chiffa, a delightful drive, especially in the 

 early spring. The views of tlie mountains were superb, and 

 soon after entering the deep gorge, two great birds, which 

 may have been Griffon Vultures, were observed sweeping 

 along the mountain side many hundred feet above us, but at 

 too great an elevation to identify. Three Kites were also 

 seen at very close quarters just before we reached the gorge 

 mouth. The apes which swarm on the mountain side, close 

 to the little hotel, have become extraordinarily tame and 

 come down in numbers — old males, females, and young — to 

 be fed by the excursionists who make this naturally secluded 

 spot their goal on a holiday. The sight of the apes running 

 all over the roof of the hotel and climbing from balcony to 

 balcony, entering the bedrooms whenever a chance occurred, 

 did not inspire us to remain for the night, and we forthwith 

 returned to Aimers. 



The following day, 29th March, we sailed for Marseilles in 

 the S.S. ' Timgad,' full of regrets at leaving this wonderful 

 country of forests and orchards, mountains and deserts. 



