(53) 



Limoniastmra. These eggs are rather small, the rufons spots small, bnt covering 

 nearly the whole egg, though more frequent ronnd the larger j)ole, and measure 

 14-9 X 11-6, 14-2 X 11-6, 14-4 x 11-3, and 14-5 x 11-4 mm. 



Another nest with three naked young and an addled egg was discovered on 

 June 11, also in a Limoniastrum, near El-Alia. The egg is larger and has larger 

 bnt fewer spots and patches round the thick end. It measures 16 x 12 mm. 



52. Crateropus fulvus fulvus (Desf.). 



Cf. ^V-)i'. Zoi,}. xviii. p. 511. 



Seen near Chegga, and in the Mzab country ; coming from the sonth, first met 

 with on May 24 near El-Hadadra, and common on the 25th between Oued el-Abiodh 

 and Bordj Giia. Adult birds shot on the 25th Iiad their wings, tails and body 

 jilumage already moulting. 



In Ghardaia young birds were seen early in June, Plentiful in the Oued N<ja, 

 but perhaps most numerous in the oasis of Ghardaia. We never saw one south of 

 Touggonrt. 



"tro^ 



\_Ti/n/us inenila imiiiritunieus breeds in the oases of Biskra, but has not been 

 met with farther to the south,] 



53. *Mouticola saxatilis (L.). 



Cf. .Vol-. Zool. xviii. p. i,\?,. 



A single male was seen and shot in the Oned Saret, lOft km. south of EI-Golea, 

 on April 4. Wing 120'5 mm. 



54. *Oenanthe oenanthe oenanthe (L). 



{Sa.cicola oenanthe auct.) 

 Cf, X.ir. Z,„l. xviii. p. 01.3. 



These birds migrate through the Sahara in .great quantities. The first seen 

 were some awfully shy males near Onargla. Wiiile at El-Golea, from March 27 

 to 31), Wheatears were extremely cxsmmon. Hundreds were caught by the hoys 

 for pleasure ami food in American penny-traps, the same which one buys in the 

 ironmongers' siiops in England. Apparently it has been tlie habit to catch little 

 birds since times immemorial, but the original crude tra[is of palm-fibres or horse- 

 hair have been transplanted by the modern traps. 



I lieard it said by a Frenchman, that bird-catching should not be suppressed, 

 because the sparrows did so much damage to the cro2)s, which is perfectly true ; 

 Ijut the sparrows are much too clever to enter the traps often ; during our stay in 

 El-Golea cue single sparrow got caught in a trap, and was promptly brought to me, 

 as it was known that we were in want of Sparrows, but all tiie birds caught in 

 great numbers were AVheatears, Pipits, and Yellow Wagtails, and occasionally a 

 Red-headed Shrike and a Swallow, the latter probably knocked down witli a stick 

 or stone. 



The si)ecimons we examined and skinned all belonged to the tyjiical 

 oeiiuntlie. 



After El-G(jli'a i>. o. oennnlhe was sev<'ral times obsiTwil along (he Sonlhcru 

 Oued Mya, at In-Salali (April 17), ajid as lute as May ."> in llic (Mini Mya. 



