308 BIRDS OP TUNISIA 



Like the preceding species, the Black-winged Stilt, though chiefly 

 migratory, is to be met with in Tunisia throughout the year, and is 

 not uncommon in some localities. Blanc says he has frequently 

 received examples of the bird, which have been obtained by the Arabs 

 in the vicinity of the town of Tunis, and I have notes of its occurrence 

 at several places on the east coast of the Regency. Salvin found it 

 breeding in Eastern Algeria, and gives the following interesting par- 

 ticulars regarding the bird and its habits (Ibis, 1859, p. 361). This 

 species is " abimdant at Zana, a few pairs occurring at Djendeli and 

 Guerah el Tharf. Over the whole of the lower end of the marsh of 

 Zana and Cbott Saboun the Stilt breeds in great abundance amongst 

 the wet grass, choosing for the position of its nest a small tuft, so as 

 just to keep the eggs out of the water. Sometimes, however, tliis 

 object is not attained, as we occasionally found nests in which the 

 eggs were half immersed. The bird uses its long legs with much 

 greater ease than might be expected, and its long deliberate strides, 

 as it stalks about in search of food, are far from being ungraceful. 

 The only time they seem to be in its way is at the moment of taking 

 flight, when they hang awkwardly down till the bird, being fairly 

 started, stretches them out, extending them far beyond the tail. We 

 used to search for the nests of this bird on horseback, and on observing 

 one sitting, to ride up without taking our eyes off the place. The 

 bird would remain quiet till we were within thirty yards of the nest, 

 when it would walk slowly away till, aware of our purpose, it would 

 rise and fly, wheeling and screaming overhead. The young Stilt is 

 able to walk almost immediately on leaving the egg ; one we found 

 was capable of moving about while the other three were struggling to 

 free themselves from the shell. The nest is composed of a few bits 

 of dead reed or grass. The complement of eggs laid by one bird is 

 four." 



Canon Tristram states (Ibis, 1860, p. 79), that this species breeds 

 at Laghouat, but more abundantly in the Northern Sahara. Mr. 

 J. H. Gurney, however, writing some years later (Ibis, 1871, p. 299), 

 remarks that the species was then exceedingly rare at Laghouat and 

 appeared to have nearly forsaken that place. 



From Marocco I have several examples of this Stilt, obtained on 

 the west coast in the month of April. Colonel Irby states (Orn. Strs. 

 Gib. 2nd ed. p. 275), that it is one of the most common of the marsh- 

 birds, in spring, on both sides of the Straits, and that at Meslu'ee-el- 



