SAXICOLA HALOPHILA 51 



in corresponding semi-desert districts in Tripoli, and Cyrenaic.i, in 

 the last named of which countries Mr. Uodson met with the species 

 as far east as the Wed-Agarib, and the Wed-Doraaran. How niiich 

 further eastward its range extends, or where it meets S. liigeits — if, 

 indeed the two species meet at all — seems at present to be unknown, 

 but presumably the present species does not occur in Egypt. 



From Marocco S. halophila appears so far to be unrecorded. In 

 Algeria it is by no means uncommon in certain districts, and I have 

 frequently observed the species a few miles to the east of Biskra, 

 but it is very local in its distribution. 



In the Tunisian Regency this Chat, although nowhere particu- 

 larly abundant, is to be found in several districts south of the 

 Atlas Mountains. North of that range the species does not seem to 

 occur, and the semi-desert regions of the south are undoubtedly the 

 true habitat of S. lialophila. Here it frequents the most barren and 

 desolate spots, choosing for preference the neighbourhood of marl 

 cliffs and gravel hillocks, in the fissures and crevices of which suitable 

 nesting sites abound. 1 have obtained specimens of the species near 

 Gafsa, and at Kas-el-Aioum, Metlaoui, and Tozer in the south-west 

 of the Regency. From Douirat and one or two other places in the 

 far south I also have examples. The district, however, in which 

 I found this Chat most abundant was undoubtedly Metlaoui, where 

 the country is of the most arid and inhospitable description, rolling 

 hillocks of hard white gravel, with occasional patches of scanty scrub 

 vegetation, stretching away for miles in a southerly direction, while 

 almost immediately to the north rise the rugged and precipitous cliffs 

 of the Seldja range of mountains. Until quite recently this neighbour- 

 hood was rarely visited by Europeans, but Metlaoui now bids fair to 

 become an important commercial centre, owing to the abundance of 

 phosphates lately discovered in the locality ; and a railway already 

 exists there, constructed expressly for the purpose of transporting 

 the valuable product to its port of exportation at Sfax. 



In its habits, as well as in the localities it frequents, ,S'. halophila 

 resembles ,S'. leucopijga to a great extent, being found not only in the 

 open country, far from any human dwelling, but also in the immediate 

 vicinity of towns and villages, and at times even within their walls. 

 Mr. Aplin actually secured a pair of these birds at Douirat, in a very 

 busy part of the town. He had noticed the birds entering and leaving 

 a hole as if nesting there, but on probing the hole, which was very 



