144 AEGYA 



ARGYA, Lesson, 



203. PALESTINE BUSH-BABBLER. 

 ARGYA SQUAMICEPS. 



Argya squamiceps (Cretzschm) in Riipp. Atlas, p. ID, Taf. 12 (1826) ; 

 Dresser, iii. p. 23, pi. 98, fig. 2 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. vii. 

 p. 395 ; C. clialybeus. Bp. C. R. xliii. p. 765. 



ad. (Palestine). Upper parts wings and tail greyish-dust-b,rowii ; 

 feathers on the crown, sides of head and back with lighter margins and 

 dark brown centres ; under parts paler ; the chin, centre of the throat and 

 of the abdomen nearly white ; feathers on the throat and breast with dark 

 centres ; flanks and under tail-coverts washed with warm buff ; bill horn- 

 brown, yellowish at the base ; legs light brown ; iris reddish brown. Culmen 

 1-0, wing 4-3, tail ft '7, tarsus 2 '45 inch, outer tail-feather 2 inches shorter 

 than the middle one. Sexes alike. The young bird resembles the adult, 

 but the plumage is rather loose and lax. 



Hob. Palestine and Arabia Petraea. 



It is said to be sociable and noisy and usually collects in 

 small parties. It runs on the ground with ease, and when 

 followed runs from bush to bush. It frequents bush-covered 

 places on the plains and feeds almost entirely on the berries of 

 the zizyphus or jujube. Its nest which is a large clumsy 

 structure, is built entirely of strips of bark and is placed in the 

 middle of a thorn-bush, and the eggs, 4 to 6 in number, are 

 usually deposited in April, are rich dark greenish blue and 

 measure about 1*05 by O75. 



204. ALGERIAN BUSH-BABBLER. 



ARGYA FULVA. 



Argyafulva (Desfontaines) Mem. del'Acad. Roy. Sci. 1787, p. 498, pi. xi.; 

 Dresser, iii. p. 21, pi. 98, fig. 1 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. vii. 

 p. 397 ; Ncdurus numidicus, Levaill, jr. Expl. Scient. Alg. Atlas, 

 Ois. pi. 9 bis, fig. 1 (1850). 



Ad. (Algeria). Upper parts, wings and tail rufescent isabelline, faintly 

 tinged with brown ; feathers on head and back with darker centres ; wings 

 and tail externally margined with pale isabelline ; chin and upper throat 

 white, the rest of under parts pale warm rufous isabelline ; the middle of 

 abdomen creamy white ; bill blackish horn ; legs pale brownish yellow 

 with a green tinge ; iris light brown. Culmen 0'9, wing 3'85, tail 5-5, 

 tarsus 1*3 inch. Sexes alike. 



Hob. Tripoli, Tunis, Algeria, and Morocco, where it is resident. 



Frequents plains covered with bushes or low trees and is 



wary and extremely noisy and garrulous. It is usually seen in 



