78 Mr. J. J. S. Whitaker on some Tunisian Birds. 



V. — Notes on some Tunisian Birds. 

 By J. J. S. Whitaker, F.Z.S. 



In the early part of tliis year (1893), while on a shooting 

 expedition in the south of the Regency of Tunis, I met with 

 several interesting species of birds, some of which are suffi- 

 ciently iincommon to merit record in ' The Ibis.' Acting 

 on the kind suggestion of Mr. Sclater, I proceed therefore to 

 give a short sketch of my journey, with a list of the species 

 of which I actually secured specimens, or of the identity of 

 which I had no doubt. 



I would, however, first premise that being totally unpre- 

 pared for bird-collecting, and still less with any idea at the 

 time of writing about them, and, moreover, having little time 

 at my disposal, I was unable to secure as many specimens 

 as I could have wished, the few I obtained being mostly 

 shot when I was actually en route from one place to 

 another. 



Passing over the journey to Tunis, and a few days spent 

 there in making preparations, I may say I finally left that 

 town by railroad for Tebessa on the 23rd of February, 

 having previously despatched my men and horses, with 

 tents and the heavier impedimenta, by road via Kairouan, 

 with instructions to meet me at Kasrin, some 50 miles east 

 of Tebessa. The railroad journey from Tunis as far as 

 Souk-Ahras is well known to travellers, being on the direct 

 route to Algiers, but the branch line from Souk-Ahras to 

 Tebessa has only recently been opened to the public. The 

 country for a considerable distance after leaving the junction 

 is mountainous and beautifully wooded, the scenery equalling 

 that of the lovely Medjerda Valley, through which the main 

 line further north runs for several miles. Leaving the 

 hilly country at last^ we traversed vast plains and tracts of 

 cultivated land, and running always due south we eventually 

 reached Tebessa at 9 p.m., after a journey of 16 hours from 

 Tunis. 



The following day I devoted to .sight-seeing, for the ruins 

 of Tebessa, the ancient Theveste of the Romans, are amongst 



