92 Mr. J, J. S. Wliitaker on some Tunisian Birds. 



neighbourhood o£ orchards aud olive-groves, and not in the 

 open country or far from viUages. In its note and habits, 

 as also in its nesting, it resembles our European bird. I was 

 somewhat surprised to find it so far sauth as Gafsa. 



22. LiNOTA CANNABINA. 



The Common Linnet I saw in flocks at Kasrin, but do not 

 recollect having seen it elsewhere. 



23. Passer salicicola. 



This Sparrow I found common at Tebessa, Kasrin, Feriana, 

 and Gafsa, and 1 do not remember to have noticed P. italice. 



24. Petronia stulta. * 



I found this species at Kasrin feeding in the fields, together 

 with Melanoconjpha calandra ; in fact I shot one out of a 

 flock of these Larks. 



25. Emberiza miliaria. 



Seems pretty generally distributed throughout the "Regency, 

 and I met with it on several occasions, both in the north and 

 south, although nowhere in large numbers. 



26. Emberiza sahar.e. 



This sober-coloured but rather rare little bird I met with 

 only once during my jouruey, viz., at Gafsa, where it seemed 

 fairly abundant, although, owing to the difficulty of being 

 able to shoot in the middle of a town, I only secured two 

 specimens, a male and female. 



It is eminently a Saharan species, although not frequenting 

 the actu'al desert or open country, but the neighbourhood of 

 human habitations and buildings, from which it never strays 

 far ; indeed I do not think I even found it in the oasis gardens. 

 I saw it singly, as a rule, but sometimes with others of its 

 species, and Avith Sparrows and other birds on a rubbish- 

 heap or dunghill. It is a sprightly, familiar little bird, and 

 by no means shy, partaking somewhat of the character of a 

 town sparrow, which bird it resembles in many ways. I do 

 not remember having heard its note. 



27. Al^mon alaudipks (Sharpe, Cat. B. xiii. p. 518.) 

 This is eminently a desert bird, and I never met with it 



