92 Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker on Tunisian Birds. 



and I believe I met with the species again on the Djebel Sel- 

 loum, also a pine-clad mountain^ near Kasrin,butlnever found 

 it anywhere further south, nor do any of my collectors appear 

 to have met with it in the Tunisian Sahara, either in winter 

 or in spring. Canon Tristram discovered this bird in the 

 South Algerian Sahara between Nov. 29 and Dec. 23 (Ibis, 

 1859, p. 58), when it was presumably in winter quarters, 

 and this seems to be the only record, thus far, of its occur- 

 rence at any great distance from the Aures and Nemencha 

 Mountains, which may perhaps be looked upon as the summer 

 quarters of the species. Whether it occurs throughout the 

 entire range of the Saharan chain of mountains remains to 

 be seen. Dr. Koenig, although constantly on the look-out 

 for it, failed to meet with it in the South Algerian Sahara 

 in spring, but found it, breeding, further north near Batna 

 (J. f. O. 1895, p. 290), in which district Mr. C. Dixon had 

 previously rediscovered the species in the spring of 1882 

 (Ibis, 1882, p. 565). Apparently there is a considerable 

 difference between the summer and winter plumages. My 

 specimens, having been obtained towards tbe end of March, 

 are naturally in breeding-plumage, or almost so. It would 

 be interesting to know something more of this bird's move- 

 ments during winter. With reference to its breeding and 

 summer life we are indebted to Dr. Koenig for some very 

 detailed and interesting notes. 



5. Hypolais polyglotta. (Cat. B. Brit. Mus. v. p. 79.) 

 I have specimens of this species both from Mr. Aplin and 



M. Blanc. Fairly common in the north, among the wild- 

 olive woods and on the bushed hillsides, but never very 

 high up. Its song is very rich and varied, with some remark- 

 ably clear notes. 



6. Hypolais icterina. 



Also common in the north, but found generally at a lower 

 level than the preceding species. Very plentiful among the 

 thorny shrubs, and oleander clumps bordering the river 

 Medjerdah near Ghardimaou. Its song, although rather 

 pretty, is inferior to that of //. polyfflotia, and partakes more 



