Mr. J. J. S. Whitaker on some Tunisian Birds. 89 



and did not at once recognize the birds as tliey flew out of a 

 busli. Their flight isslow, straight_, and rather feeble. Tiiey 

 are generally to be found in small parties of from four 

 to six among clumps of bushes, and frequenting the small 

 patches of cultivated land to be fouud thinly scattered over 

 the southern plains, where they doubtless find a richer diet 

 than on the more arid Avastes. They are wary birds, but 

 owing to their restlessness and loquacity cannot easily escape 

 notice. 



Mr. Dresser's work ('Birds of Europe'), if I remember 

 right, contains an excellent description, given by Canon 

 Tristram, of the peculiar habit this bird has of creeping up a 

 bush and down again the other side, preparatory to stealing 

 off" quietly to the next bush, where the same tactics are re- 

 peated. Of the breeding of this species I was not able to 

 ascertain anything of a positive nature. The plumages of the 

 male and female seem to be the same. 



12. MOTACILLA ALBA. 



The White Wagtail I found, b jth male and female, ])leutiful 

 near Kasrin and Feriana. 



13. Lanius dealbatus. 



This was the only Shrike I met with during my journey, 

 and although some of the specimens I obtained differed con- 

 siderably from the others in the shade of giey on the head, 

 back, and rump, I have looked upon this as being due to 

 diff"erence in age, and not suflicient to constitute even a 

 variety. 



I found this species almost everywhere throughout my 

 journey where there were plains and bushes, and it evidently 

 has a wide range in the south of the Regency, taking the 

 place of L. alytriensis in the north. 



L. dealbatus is generally to be found singly, perched con- 

 spicuously on top of a bai'c branch or bush. It is a most 

 wary bird and difiicult to approach, although Avlien dis- 

 turbed it rarely flies far, and can easily be seen and followed 

 up. Dr. Koenig found this species breeding in numbers 

 towards the end of April near El Djem, and gives a very full 



