60 JOTTINGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



260. THE SISKIN Chrysomitris spinus (Linnaeus), 

 is a very rare and occasional winter visitor to the 

 northern districts of Algeria. 



261. THE GOLDFINCH Carduelis elegam, Stephen- 

 son, is a resident in Algeria, and widely distributed 

 both north and south of the Atlas. I met with it 

 in all parts of the country from the coast to the 

 oases, and up the mountains to an elevation of 

 4000 feet. 



262. THE SWALLOW Hirundo rustica, Linnaeus, 

 is a common summer visitor to Algeria, and breeds 

 from the Sahara sub-region to the coast. Canon 

 Tristram asserts that a few birds pass the winter in 

 the southern oases, but the majority quit the country 

 in November, returning in February. The natives 

 state that the birds cross the desert to Timbuctoo, 

 " the El Dorado of Arab and Swallow." Canon 

 Tristram, when in the Desert, noticed myriads of 

 Swallows flying north at the beginning of February. 



263. THE HOUSE MARTIN Chelidon urbica 

 (Linnaeus), is a common summer visitor to Algeria, 

 and breeds from the Sahara sub-region to the coast. 

 A few birds winter in the southern oases. I 

 noticed this bird building towards the end of May 

 at Philippeville. Most of the mud was baked hard 

 by the sun, and it was only to be obtained in a 



