ANORTHURA TROGLODYTES 143 



So far as I am aware there is no authentic record of the Wall- 

 Creeper {Tichodroma muraria) having ever been met with in North- 

 west Africa, although, according to Eiippell, the species once occurred 

 in Egypt and Abyssinia. 



The Nuthatch {Sitta ccEsia), on the other hand, is recorded by 

 Loche as occurring in Algeria, where it appears to be sedentary, 

 though not common. 



Family TROGLODYTID.<zE. 



ANORTHURA TROGLODYTES (Linnceus). 

 WEEN. 



Motaoilla troglodytes, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 337 (1766). 



Anorthura troglodytes, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. vi, p. 269 ; 



Erlangcr, J. f. 0. 1899, p. 276. 

 Troglodytes vulgaris, Malherbe, Cat. Bais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 11 (1846). 

 Troglodytes europseus, Loche, Exjil. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 290 (1867). 

 Troglodytes parvulus, Koenig, J.f. 0. 1888, p. 188 ; id. J.f. 0. 1892, 



p. 387 ; Whitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. 96. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Tunis, North Tunisia. 



Above rufous-brown, rather brighter on the wings, lower back, rump and 

 tail, these parts being finely barred with blackish-brown ; superciliary stripes 

 dull white, underparts dull white, washed with rufous-brown. 



Iris brown, bill brown, feet pale brown. 



Total length 3-50 inches, wing 1-90, culmen -50, tarsus -70. 



Adult female slightly smaller than the male and duller in colouring. 



The Wren is a resident species in the Regency, and is not uncom- 

 mon in some of the northern districts and in the wooded valleys of 

 the Atlas. South of these mountains I have not met with the species, 

 but it may perhaps occur in some of the southern oases in winter- 

 time. At Zaghouan, and near the town of Tunis itself, it may fre- 

 quently be met with, as well as in the forests of Ghardimaou and 

 Fernana. 



In Algeria and IVIarocco the Wren occurs in suitable locahties. 

 Although not particularly timid or shy of man, owing to its diminu- 



