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More Notes from North- West Africa.



Corn Buntings were extraordinarily tame, sitting on the tops of

the low bushes within a few feet. An elegant Warbler, brownish

above, with conspicuous eye stripe and light underparts, was

possibly a Bonelli’s Warbler. Flocks of Cormorants could be

seen from time to time flying over the water, and right in the

middle of the Fake, marching in single file, were a flock of

twenty-seven Flamingoes; I had them under observation for

quite half-an-hour, and could make out that they kept putting

their heads under water, every now and then one would flap its

wings, but I did not see any fly, they seemed to vary in size, but

they were a good way off. A pair of little Waders were running

actively about over the soft mud close to the water ; from their

dark legs and absence of a distinct band on the breast I took

them for Kentish Plovers (.AEgialitis alexandrina), a common

resident species. I also picked up several Duck feathers, but did

not see the birds themselves.


April the 4th and 5th were taken up by a visit to the most

interesting town of Kairouan. It is a sort of Arab Oxford or

Cambridge, as there are many Dervish Colleges or Zaouias, which

are very like ordinaiy Mosques: they contain many lovely

examples of exquisite tile and plaster Arabesque work. It is

considered a very sacred spot, the whole place is very Eastern-

looking and quaint. On the way there, from the train I got a

good look at a Southern Dittle Owl, which was sunning itself

by the side of the line—after glaring at the train it hardly con¬

descended to fly a few yards away. I also saw a Hoopoe. From

the top of the big Minaret of the Great Mosque of Sidi Okba at

Kairouan, which is one of the finest Moorish buildings in exist¬

ence, I watched a number of Swifts dashing about below and

up under the roof of the cloisters which surround the great

court-yard of the Mosque ; I have a note that some seemed a

rather pale mouse-colour, and I find that Mr. Whitaker says he

saw both Common (Cypselus opus') and Pallid Swifts (C. vmrinus)

at this spot in the beginning of April, so I have no doubt I also

saw both species here. The Sparrows seemed to be Spanish. I

had hoped to find the Rufous Warbler here, as I had heard that

it had been seen a few weeks earlier. Some low mounds, covered

with a luxuiiant growth of an ice plant, just outside the walls,



