2 JOTTINGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



continental portion of it I am not aware that 

 any important contribution has been made to the 

 ornithology of Algeria during the past ten years, 

 or since my own paper on the subject appeared in 

 the Ibis (1882), although Dr. Koenig has published 

 a long arid important article on the avifauna of 

 Tunis (Journal fur Ornithologie, 1888, p. 121). In 

 the present chapter I will endeavour to bring the 

 ornithology of Algeria up to date, to give as com- 

 plete a list of its avifauna as our present knowledge 

 permits, offering it as an instalment of what I hope 

 soon will be completed, viz. a work on the birds of 

 the entire sub-region. The earlier workers at Algerian 

 ornithology include such distinguished ornithologists 

 as Canon Tristram, Mr. Salvin, Taczanowski, and 

 M. Loche. The first-named naturalist may be 

 regarded as the pioneer, and to his efforts we owe 

 the most important part of our knowledge of the 

 various desert species. 



A few words on the physical characteristics of the 

 region may aptly serve as an introduction to our 

 study of its avifauna, and enable the reader better 

 to understand the peculiarities presented. Geo- 

 graphically speaking, Algeria and the adjoining 

 provinces form a region practically unique. So 

 far as regards their fauna and flora, they are as 



