264 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



found in Southein France, Germany and various parts of the Italian 

 Peninsula, and is even said to have occurred in the British Isles. 

 According to Gmelin the species v?as found by him commonly 

 throughout Persia, but recent travellers in that country do not seem 

 to have met with it. It is also stated to have been found in Southern 

 Eussia. 



In Tunisia P. caruleus is not uncommon in the extensive 

 marshes surrounding the Djebel Eshkul near Bizerta, and it may 

 perhaps be found elsewhere in the Eegency, though at present I know 

 of no other locality. I have examples from the above marshes, 

 where it is to be found in certain numbers, and is undoubtedly 

 resident. Loche states that it is sedentary in Algeria on all the 

 lakes, and that he has taken its eggs at Lake Halloula and Lake 

 Petzara, in the month of March, and met with young birds in the 

 middle of May. Canon Tristram appears to have met with the 

 species at Touggourt in the Algerian Sahara. According to Favier 

 P. cccruhus is both resident and migratory near Tangier, though 

 chiefly the latter, and is more or less irregular in its appearance. 

 Colonel Irby states that it is also irregular in its appearance on the 

 Spanish side of the Straits, being found in January and February in 

 some years near Gibraltar, in situations where it does not occur at 

 any other time. 



In Sicily the Purple Gallinule is to be found on the larger marshes 

 and lakes, and is not uncommon at the Pantano di Catania and the 

 Biviere di Lentini on the east coast, and near Vittoria on the south 

 coast of the island. Formerly it is said to have been found on the 

 river Auapus near Syracuse, but does not appear to occur there at 

 the present day. A few of these birds were turned down some years 

 ago in the marshes near Mazzara, but I cannot hear of their having 

 multiplied, or even of the species being still existent there. 



Owing to the recently projected scheme for the drainage of the 

 Pantano di Catania and other large marshes in Sicily, it is to be 

 feared that the area of territory suited to the requirements of this 

 species will be greatly reduced, and the numbers of the birds pro- 

 portionately diminished, though it is to be hoped a few of their haunts 

 may be allowed to remain yet awhile. Eventually, however, and 

 possibly at no distant date, the Purple Gallinule seems destined to 

 follow in the footsteps of the Francolin and Three-toed Quail, and 

 become a thing of the past in this island. 



