IXOS BARBATUS. 77 
June, and July, laying from three to four eggs, which are 
very thin-shelled and tender, of a greyish-white colour, 
marbled or spotted with reddish spots of two or three shades 
of brown and purple. The nest is built in the branches of 
fruit-trees (orange-, apricot-, pear-, &c.), and is shaped like 
those of the Woodchat Shrike, coarsely interlaced outside 
with ends of small roots and with creeping plants. They 
feed on all kinds of fruit and different flowers, are very fond 
of oranges, and prefer them to any thing else. 
" This species is subject to variations, as I have seen two 
which had the head, breast, and neck brown, with white 
spots, while the wings, back, and tail were brownish red, the 
rest being dirty white. ^^ — Favier. 
In accordance with Favier^s statement, I found this Dusky 
Bulbul or Ixos in great plenty about the gardens just outside 
Tangier. They were shy ; but one day in March I stalked 
up to and watched for some time a lot of seven or eight in 
the Belgian Consults garden. They were squabbling and 
playing with one another on a Persian lilac or common bead- 
tree, the seeds of which they were pecking at; and they 
reminded me much of some of the Indian Babblers {Cra- 
teropus), particularly in their flight and garrulous chatteriug. 
Besides this noise they have a melodious whistle, which I 
took down at the time and tried to note thus — Pwit, Pwit, 
Quiterd, Quiterd, rather in the tone of a Blackbird. This song 
(if it may be so called) and their chatter are so remarkable 
as to attract attention at once. 
I took a good deal of pains to ascertain the correct local 
Arabic name, which is " Bou lag-lag.'' As no one could tell 
me the meaning of the latter part, I conclude it is suggestive 
of their cry, or rather clacking : one of the Arabic names of 
the White Stork is ''Bou lak-lak," from the clacking of their 
bills. Among the Jews who speak Spanish, they go by the 
name of ''Naranjoro " {litt. " The orange-man "), from their 
orange-eating propensities. They make a small hole in the 
side of an orange and completely clean it out,* leaving nothing 
but a shell of orange-peel, which remains hanging on the 
tree. I have more than once pulled these husks down, taking 
