( 51 ) 



were observed early in Ma)' in the Southern Oned Mya region, and a great numljur 

 ill the gardens of El-Golea in the middle of May. They were further observed ia 

 the oases of Touggonrt, Mrai'er, and Biskra. In the latter two these birds were 

 undoubtedly nesting, and in Touggonrt and Biskra, June 17 and 18, we saw young 

 birds being fed by their parents. In Mrai'er and Biskra we tried hard to find 

 nests, but did not succeed. We did not even see an old nest, and as all our 

 search was in vain, we suspect that these birds nest in palms and other high 

 trees, though this is not the habit of other Hippolais. 



We are not sure that //. i). reiseri nests in In-Salah and El-GoIea, but we have 

 little doubt it lireeds in the gardens of El-Golea, though no nest could be funud — 

 not even an old one ; they may, perhaps, also nest in In-Salah, as the se.xual organs 

 of the birds shot there were already swollen ; it was, however, certainly too early 

 for nests in Ajiril, and in the oueds of the desert these birds were doubtless only 

 migrants. 



The ten males we collected this year have wings of (33'0 to 07, one (JSo mm., 

 the two females (52'5 to 64 mm. 



42. *Sylvia hortensis hortensis (Gm.). 



{Si/lcia orphea olim.) 

 C£. Nijc. ZnuL xviii. p. 506. 



On May o a female was shot 27 km. south of El-Golea, and one or two were 

 noticed a few days afterwards in the gardens of El-Golea. 



43. *Sylvia borin borin (Bodd.). 

 {Si/lcia horteiiiiis auct. mult, errore.) 

 Cf. Nuv. Znnl. xviii. p. 506. 



Not rare in the gardens of El-Golea on May 13 and 14. 



44. "Sylvia communis communis Lath. 



(S>/lvia cinerea auct.) 

 Cf. Niic. Zool. xviii. p. 506. 



Shot May 1, 60 km. north of Ain Guettara, in the southernmost bend of the 

 Oued Mya, when several were seen ; observed in the middle of May iu El-Golea, and 

 several times seen between El-Golea and Ghardaia up to May 26. 



4.1. Sylvia nana deserti (Loche). 



Cf. N:,e. Z<i.A. xviii. p. 5117. 



Travelling southwards, we found this lovely sand-coloured little bird hero and 

 there between Biskra and Touggonrt, and for the last time between Safet-Iniquel and 

 Oued Djafon, north of El-Ciolea. We never saw it south of El-Golea, though the 

 country appeared, iu certain places, to be (piite suitable for it. 



On the return journey the Desert Warbler was encountered again about 4n and 

 .50 km. north of El-Golea. It was common near Sebseb, south of Metlili, but still 

 more so in the sand-region of El-Arich, south-west of Touggonrt. 



Sjiecimcns shot on March 4 and 5, about 00 and 7.5 km. south of Touggonrt, had 

 ovaries and testicles already more or less strongly enlarged. One shot on May 2ii 

 north of El-Golea had the plumage so much worn that we resolved not to shnot any 



