134 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



further east its range extends as far as India. Falco babyloiiicus, 

 Gurney, appears hardly distinguishable from F. barhanis or F. punicus. 

 I have two examples of it froni India, which are almost identical in 

 plumage with some specimens from North-west Africa, being merely 

 a tritle more rufous on the nape and underparts. The wing in both 

 cases measures 12"75 inches, one specimen being marked as a female, 

 while in the other the sex is not indicated. 



In Tunisia, as above mentioned, the principal habitat and breeding- 

 quarters of this Falcon are undoubtedly the mountainous districts of 

 the north-west of the Regency. Salvin, when travelling in the Eastern 

 Atlas, saw the species often, and took its nest at the Djebel Dekma 

 and Khifan M'sakta. At the latter place he found a nest with four 

 eggs, on the 9th of April, the eggs being then on the point of hatching. 

 Some years ago the species nuist have been far from uncommon in the 

 above districts, as Salvin writes that, he " was present at the siege of 

 three of their eyries, besides discovering others which were inacces- 

 sible " {Ibis, 1859, p. 187). A specimen of this Falcon shot by Salvin 

 at Kef-Boudjato in the Eastern Atlas, has had the rare distinction of 

 being figured no less than three times in standard ornithological 

 works, viz., in the Ibis, in Mr. Dresser's " Birds of Europe," and 

 in Dr. Bree's " Birds of Europe." The specimen in question, an 

 adult female, was presented by Salvin to the Norwich Museum, where 

 it is at present preserved. 



Beyond what we learn from Salvin, comparatively little is known 

 respecting the habits of the present species, but they probably do not 

 differ much, if at all, from those of the Peregrine. The Barbary 

 Falcon appears to have been greatly employed once by the Arabs for 

 " hawking,'" and in confinement is said to be docile and tractable. Its 

 nest is said to be always placed in some hole in a steep cliff, while its 

 eggs, three or four in number, resemble those of the Peregrine, but are 

 rather smaller. 



