48 BIEDS OF TUNISIA 



lake a long flight. The food of this species, Hke that of S. desertl, 

 consists chiefly of coleopterous insects. 



The Arabs have a pretty little legend regarding this bird and its 

 song, which so far as I can recall it to mind, runs as follows : — 



"An Arab chieftain of great renown had a most beautiful wife, 

 to whom he was greatly attached, and whom he loved almost as much 

 as his Sloughis, which is saying a good deal, for the Sloughi, or Ai'ab 

 Greyhound, is held in the highest possible esteem by the Arabs. In 

 parenthesis, this may appear curious, considering how the Arabs 

 despise all other breeds of dog, the very word Kelb, or dog, so often 

 hurled at the unfortunate and unsuspecting Giaour, being synonymous 

 with opprobrium and reproach. War breaking out between his tribe 

 and another, the chief had to leave his home, but before doing so, he 

 called his wife and commended his Sloughis to her particular care and 

 attention. Time passed, but no husband returned from the war, and 

 finally came the news of his death on the battle-field. His widow, 

 who had at first strictly complied with her lord's injunction respecting 

 the dogs, now gradually relaxed her solicitude for their welfare, and 

 eventuallj' left her home and re-married ! In course of time death 

 came to her also, and on entering another world she was welcomed 

 by her first husband, the Arab chief, who immediately enquired after 

 his Sloughis. Confessing her fault, the beautiful wife was ordered 

 to return to Mother earth in the shape of a bird, and she has ever 

 since been wandering over the desert plains under the form of Saxicola 

 mcesta, bewailing her lot, and vainly whistling for the lost Sloughis ! " 



SAXICOLA. HALOPHILA, Tristram. 

 WESTERN PIED CHAT. 



Saxicola halophila, Tristravi, Ibis, 1859, pp. 59, 301 ; Erlaiujci:, J./. 0. 



1899, p. 231. 

 Saxicola lugens, Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 207 (1867) ; Kocnig, 



J. f. 0. 1892, p. 389 ; Sjmtz iind Erlanger, Orn. Monatab. 1894, p. 1 ; 



Whitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. 94. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Douirat, South Tunisia. 

 Forehead, crown and nape silvery- white, slightly greyer on the crown ; 

 back, scapulars, and upper wing-coverts jet-black ; rump and upper tail- 



