(39 ) 



[Carduelis cannabina (L). 



Though common in winter as far sonth as Biskra, it does not breed there, 

 or we should have seen specimens in the oasis in June. The birds visit Biskra 

 in winter only, and they belong probalily partially to C. cannabiiut cannabina and 

 partially to C. cannnhina nana. Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. p. 476.] 



[Serinus canarius serinus (L.). 



The Serin-finch does not extend into the Sahara, thongh it is common in 

 winter in the oases along the foot of the southernmost Atlas ranges, as for example 

 in Biskra and the other Ziban oases, and in Laghonat. Koenig and ourselves 

 thought it was breeding at Biskra, but this year we searched in vain for a sign 

 of the si)ecies in June ; if it had been there, we should undoubtedly have heard 

 and seen it. In 1911, at Laghouat, we noticed flocks on April 10, but none were 

 noticed in the gardens eighteen days later. AVe are therefore now convinced that 

 Serins are only winter visitors and do not breed in Biskra (nor in Laghonat).] 



3. Erythrospiza githaginea zedlitzi Neum. 



EiiitIirosjjb.a g'dhaginm zedlilii Neumann, Oni. Monahhir, 1007. p. H.'i (Algeria and Tiuiisi:!, typo 

 Biskra) ; Rothschild and Hartert, Nuv. Zuul. xviii. p. 477. 



The " Trumpeter " extends in small numbers far south into the Sahara. 



For the first time we saw a small flock and shot a male on some stony, 

 rocky " gour," about half-way between Touggourt and Onargla, on March 6, north 

 of Arefidji. In the rocks along the banks of the Southern Oued Mya we saw 

 twice one or two specimens, but only succeeded in shooting a single male with 

 very little red, looking almost like a female, on April 30. Also among the rocks 

 of the Mzab country, between Ghardaia and El-Golea, we once saw this bird, but 

 it was always very shy and ditticnlt to obtain. The old male shot on March (i 

 is a typical zedlitzi, wing 89 mm., while the other, apparently younger one, with 

 a wing of only 86 mm., resembles more eastern yithaginea. Cf. Xo». Zool. xviii. 

 p. 477. 



4. The Sparrows. 



Cf. Nov. Zool. xviii. pp. 479-82. 



One of the questions in which we were particularly interested was, how far 

 to the south Sparrows might be found, and to which form they belonged. 



While at Touggourt we collected nineteen males ; fifteen of these are of the 

 bastard race called " I'asser Jlilckigeri,''' which resembles the Italian Sparrow, 

 Fasser italiae, having an entirely chestnut crown and no lateral black stripes ; 

 three have the same chestnut crown and lateral stripes, so that they must be 

 called /d-yjaniolen.'i/.'s, and one has the feathers of the crown black with wide 

 brownish mouse-grey edges, and might thus be natued Passer domcxticiLH tiiujitanns, 

 with a great amount of black to the crown-feathers. 



In passing through Temacin only chestnut-headed males were observed. 



In Ouargla Sparrows were common. Of the fourteen males we collected nine 

 have entirely chestnut crowns, four a slight admixture of black or dark grey, one 

 a quite grey crown ; not one has lateral stripes. The Sparrows nest here on houses 

 and in date-palms and other trees. 



No Sparrows were observed luitil we came to El-Golea, where they were 

 exceedingly cornmon, breeding in palms in the oases, and especially nunvrons in 



