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On the march we saw Eremophila {Otocori/s anct.) bilopha, both the comtnoa 

 Ammomanes, Caccabis petrosa spatzi, one Gyps Jalms, and a solitary Swallow. 

 On the 3rd we reached the Hassi Rebib, on the Oned Nija. The valley of that 

 river is very beautiful, full of Zizijphus^ Retain, and gigantic Terebinth-trees, 

 Pistacia atlantica, the " Betonm " of the Arabs. At Hassi Rebib is a cistern 

 and a well, nearly a hnndred metres deep, with drinkable water. A rich ornis is 

 found here, as described by Koeuig nearly twenty years ago. (julerida theklae 

 carolinae, Cursorius, Caccabis, Merops persicus chnjsocercm, and ((piaster, Agrobates 

 ffalactotes, Craferopus and Lanius were common ; Corviis corax ambrinas, Falco 

 biarmicus erlangeri, Circaetus gallicm, Caprimulgiis aegyptius mharae, Utus Hcops 

 scops, and Athene were shot. The commonest bird was certainly the Crateropas. 

 Hares were quite common in the river-bed. 



Here, on June 4 and 5, and at Guerrara on the 6th, migrants were still 

 observed in some numbers, and for the last time ; the reason for this, however, 

 may be the eminently suitable place— viz. a fertile plain with water, trees, and 

 many insects, and very few enemies. It is, therefore, by no means probable that 

 June 5 and 6 were the last days when migrants stayed here ; on the contrary, 

 I believe that some of them lingered here still longer, and most likely some of 

 them did not breed this year and stayed behind in Africa altogether. The following 

 undoubted migrants were observed : Muscicapa striata several times ; Phocnidxrus 

 phoenicurun, a single female, probably not quite fit ; Lanius senator, a single 

 male ; Motacilla Java thunbergi, a single female, quite tame ; Hirando urbica 

 and Chelidon rustica, several of each round the wells. In Guerrara, on the 6th, 

 Swallows, Martins, and the northern Yellow Wagtail {M. f. thunbergi) were 

 noticed. 



We saw no butterflies except the Tarucus theophrastus, and, though we 

 caught a fair number on our lamp, we were rather disappointed in the Heterocera. 

 Small beetles came in masses to the light. 



The smaller vegetation was mostly " passde," hardly any small flowers being 

 found, though Pistacia, Retama and Zizi/phis were in bloom. Probably the 

 Oued Nfa would be a remarkable place for moths a little earlier in the year, 

 and again in the antumn, supposing the year to be a normal one. 



On the 0th we travelled as fiir as Guerrara, the last M'zabite town, all of 

 which we had now seen. We got fairly comfortable quarters at a house belonging 

 to the Kaid, though they were not free from Pediculus vestimeiiti. In the evening 

 we were invited by the Khalifa of Guerrara, who entertained ns iu the absence 

 of the Kaid. We ate the best Arab dinner I have ever tasted— soup, " couscous," 

 vegetables, sweets— and I enjoyed very much the company of the noble-looking, 

 courteous, and tactful Khalifa and the " instituteur " (schoolmaster), a typical 

 M'zabite, but highly educated, talking very good French, and being full of 

 advanced and tolerant views. 



Guerrara is a very picturesque town on a hill, surrounded by a wall, and 

 with e.Ktensive jialm groves. West of it is a large sebcha, which was now (luite 

 dry. The inhabitants arc mostly Beni Mzab. The water is not very good. I 

 found the gardens rather uninteresting— mostly nothing but i)alms, some pome- 

 granates and figs, very few vines. There were in the gardens — doubtless all 

 nesting — Turtur turtur arenicola, Turtar senegalensis aegi/ptincus, Upupa epops, 

 Kestrels, Grey-heailcd Sparrows, Luiiius rrcubitor elegans. Over the town, in the 

 evening, two Swifts were seen, and on a house Oeiianthe leucopgga. 



