98 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



much the same as those of the other Titmice. Like its 

 congeners, it makes a nest in holes amongst the timber. 



But let us leave these mountain forests and pay a 

 hurried visit to the beautiful oases, the cultivated districts 

 and the wide expanse of the Great Sahara. On the 

 lower ground in the barley fields we notice the fine 

 Calandra Lark, extremely common. It is a very con- 

 spicuous bird as it rises fluttering from the herbage and 

 hovers just above your head, or runs quickly across the 

 bare patches of ground. Another bird found in these 

 places is the Crested Lark, whose simple song sounds 

 cheerily from all parts of the fields ; and here and there 

 we are sure to flush the Tawny Pipit from the herbage. 

 Our English Sky Lark is sparingly dispersed, and his 

 rich wild music carries us in imagination to the fields 

 and moors of home. In all the towns and Arab villages 

 the Spanish Sparrow is abundant, and makes its nest in 

 trees as well as under the eaves of houses. It fraternises 

 with the Domestic Sparrow, which is equally common, 

 but the former species is often met with far away from 

 the habitations of men. The notes of these two species 

 are precisely alike. The Barbary Partridge frequents 

 the scrub on the hillsides as well as the fields of grass 

 and barley ; and the merry whistle of the Quail is un- 

 usually loud and frequent in the cool of morning and at 

 nightfall. 



As we leave the rich cultivated district of the Tell 



