Birds from Algeria. 183 



SAXICOLA kLBICOLLIS CATERING. 



S ad. H. R'Hira, April 26. 



One of the characters distinguishing this bird from 

 it- ^astern representative (S. albicollis (Vieill.)) given by 

 Mr. Whitaker (■ 1 his," 1898, p. 624) seems to be variable. I 

 refer to the scapulars, which are not always cream-coloured, 

 there being often much black in them. In my specimen. 

 for example, the scapulars are rather more black than cream- 

 coloured. 



This Wheatear was common and breeding near Ham mam 

 R'Hira 



Saxicola leucuka (Gmel.). 



? ad. Biskra, March 13. 



This wild and conspicuous Wheatear was common on the 

 rocky hills near Biskra. When I first heard it singing 1 

 searched everywhere for a Rock- Thrush, which I certainly 

 thought to be the performer. On March 13th we found a 

 pair building in a crevice of a rock, and it was remarkable 

 that the low wall of loose stones in front of the entrance 

 had been built first, before the nest was made. We saw the 

 birds in the act of carrying dry grass for the nest, and a 

 few pieces were already in the hole. The " wall " was some 

 tw r o and a half inches high and very loosely made, and it 

 looked a difficult task for the birds to carry all the nesting- 

 material over it. 



Pratincola rubicola (Li.). 

 S ad. H. R'Hira, May 2. 



The Stonechat Avas fairly common at H. Meskoutine and 

 near H. R'Hira. A pair had fledged young at the beginning 

 of April. 



Pratixcola moussieri (Olpli-GalHard) . 



<$ ad., $ ad., <$ ad. Les Glacieres, May 12 & 16. 



It seemed rather strange to find this bird at Biskra in the 

 desert region and also in the Little Atlas up to an altitude 

 of 6000 feet, but probably it does not breed so far south as 

 Biskra. Judging by its habits only, I should class it as an 

 undoubted Chat. 



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