96 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



and soon becomes a prime favourite, fond of perching 

 on the topmost twigs ; but at the least alarm it drops 

 into the cover, which it threads with Accentor-like agility. 

 The Black Redstart frequents the mountain districts in 

 scattered pairs, and its simple song enlivens the wilder- 

 ness. Here and there in the mountains you may some- 

 times be fortunate enough to meet with the Rock Thrush 

 and its cousin the Blue Rock Thrush both of them birds 

 of pleasant song, which relieves the vast monotony of 

 the stony hillsides. 



The cedar forests and the evergreen oak woods of the 

 Aures Mountains are the chosen haunts of many inter- 

 esting and gay-plumaged birds. Nothing can exceed 

 the beauty of this forest scenery the woodlands being 

 broken up with large areas of park-like country, 

 carpeted with greenest turf, gay with brilliant wild 

 flowers, and studded here and there with clumps of 

 evergreen oaks and junipers, and scrubs and thickets 

 of thorns. Here in all the open glades the beautiful 

 Roller's harsh scream sounds from the trees, and the 

 brilliant bird himself may oft be seen hurrying from 

 bush to bush in curious rolling flight. The Bee-eater 

 sails dreamily through the balmy air, and the forest 

 trees are resonant with the love song of the Algerian 

 Chaffinch and the merry notes of the Ultramarine 

 Titmouse. In the Arab gardens the Goldfinch breeds 

 abundantly ; and the Black-headed Jay screams out in 



