28 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



Throughout the spring and summer months C. murinus is remark- 

 ably abundant in some Tunisian towns, and, as mentioned in the 

 preceding article, in certain favoured localities the species simply 

 swarms and may be seen in vast numbers, often in the company of 

 C. apus, busily engaged in hawking for food. 



The once sacred City of Kairouan, with its numerous Mosques and 

 Zaouias, seems to have a particular attraction for Swifts, the centre 

 of this attraction being the Great Mosque of Sidi-Okba, one of the 

 finest Moorish edifices in existence, in the construction of which 

 Roman spoil seems largely to have been employed. From the 

 spacious cloistered court of the Mosque rises a lofty quadrangular 

 tower, or minaret, whence a magnificent view of the surrounding 

 country is to be obtained. Another favourite haunt of the Swifts is 

 El-Djem, the site of the ancient city of Thysdrus, with its wonderful 

 amphitheatre, around and about which myriads of these birds may be 

 seen disporting themselves throughout the day. 



In the town of Tunis itself considerable numbers of the Pallid 

 Swift are to be met with during the spring and summer, and no doubt 

 the species is common in several other towns of the Regency, although 

 like C. apus, it shows a preference for certain places and is absent 

 from others. 



In its habits generally the present species resembles the common 

 Swift, but its note, according to Mr. Aplin, differs somewhat from 

 that of C. apus. Its nest and eggs resemble those of that species. 



CYPSELUS AFFINIS GALILEJENSIS (Antinori). 

 PALE WHITE-RUMPED SWIFT. 



Cypselus aflBnis, Gray and Hardiv. III. Ind. Zoology i, pi. 35, fig. 2 

 (1832); Kocnig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 165; id. J. f. 0. 1892, p. 361; 

 Whitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. 102. 



Micropus afiBnis, Hartert, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xvi, p. 453. 



Micropus koenigi, Eeichenow, Orn. Monatsb., 1894, p. 191. 



Apus afQnis koenigi, Erlangcr, J. f. 0. 1899, p. 517. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Ras-el-Aioun, South Tunisia. 

 Forehead very pale mouse-grey, becoming darker on the crown and nape, 

 and dark blackish-brown on the back ; rump pure white ; upper tail-coverts. 



