234 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



Biskra oasis, in some parts of which the palm-trees seemed full of 

 these birds. Throughout Southern Algeria the species appears to be 

 as abundant as it is in corresponding localities in Tunisia. It is also 

 to be found in South Marocco, and has been recorded from the 

 Canaries. It appears to occur ou the West coast of Africa, in North- 

 east Africa, and genei'ally throughout that continent as far south as 

 Cape Colon}'. In Asia it is to he found as far east as Central India. 

 North of the Mediterranean it is recorded from Greece and Turkey. 



In its habits the present species seems to be strictly sedentarj' and 

 non-migrator)'. It is remarkably tame and unsuspicious, evincing 

 a partiality for the neighbourhood of man to such an extent that it 

 may be called semi-domesticated. In most of the countries where 

 it is to be found the bird is indeed unmolested, and affects the imme- 

 diate vicinit}' of human dwellings like the ordinary domestic Pigeon, 

 though resorting to trees and bushes for the purpose of nesting and 

 roosting. Palms are the trees most preferred, but olive, orange and 

 other fruit-trees are also much frequented. Its flight is not as swift 

 as that of most Doves, nor is the bird often to be seen taking a long 

 flight, but usually merely passing from one tree to another close by, 

 or fluttering down to, or up from, the ground. 



Like other Doves, it feeds chiefly on grain and the seeds of various 

 plants. 



Its note is rather peculiar and has been hkened by Dr. Koenig to 

 the laughing note of Turtiir lisorius. 



Its nest, which is placed in a tree or bush, is a simple light layer 

 of twigs and rootlets, and its eggs, two in number, are white, and 

 measure about 27 X 20 mm. Near Mon astir Dr. Koenig obtained 

 nests of this species, which were placed in cactus bushes {Opuntiu 

 ficus Indica.) 



Family PTEROCLID^. 

 PTEROCLES ARENARIUS (Pallas). 

 BLACK-BELLIED SAND-GROUSE. 



Tetrao arenarius, Pall. Nov. Com. Petrop. xix, p. HH, pi. viii (177-1). 

 Pterocles arenarius, Temm. Man. d'Oni. p. 299 (1815) ; Ogilvie-Grant, 



Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxii, p. 18; Malherbe, Cat. Bais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 18 



(1816) ; Locke, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 227 (1867) ; Koenig, J. f. 0. 



1888, p. 255 ; id. J. f. 0. 1893, p. 73 ; Whitakcr, Ibis, 1894, p. 97 ; 



Erlanger, J. f. 0. 1900, p. 29. 



