The Zoologist— May, 1871. 2579 



returning towards Europe, early on the morning of the second day 

 of our voyage, whilst about half way towards Marseilles, an owl 

 from Africa overtook us, and, after circling twice around the ship, 

 seemed inclined to alight upon the mast ; but it did not venture to 

 do so, and hurried away in the direction of Sardinia. Notwith- 

 standing that he held nearly the same course as the steamer, he 

 was soon lost to our sight ; so much way does a bird make whose 

 movements appear to be but slow. 



Strix Jlami7iea, L. — General, but not easy to meet with during 

 the present season : those we saw were quite white on the under 

 part of the body. 



Cypselus melba, 111. — Seen, for the first time, on the 28th of 

 March, after two days' journey south from Conslantine. 



C. apus, 111. — First seen, near Philippeville, on the 8th of April. 



Hirimdo rustica, L. — I saw one of these birds in December in 

 company with a martin, on Lake Fezzara. In the middle of March 

 vast flocks were seen flying northwards through Biskra ; at the end 

 of that month, and in the beginning of April, the birds were in their 

 accustomed breeding-places again ; by the end of April they had 

 already begun to build their nests. 



ChelidoH urbica, Bp. — At the beginning of March I saw a few 

 of these birds flying over barley-fields round about the oasis of 

 Biskra: in April I saw them in the Tell. 



Cotyle riparin, Bp. — Arrived in April along with the last species. 



C. rupestris, Bp. — The only species of swallow which in this 

 country passes the winter among the mountains near the desert. 

 In El-Kantara and El-Outaja we saw them continually over the 

 oases and corn-fields : they approached to the oases of Biskra 

 Seriana and Sidi-Okba, but did not stay there long. 



Upupa epops, L. — I never saw one of these birds in the moun- 

 tainous districts: on the lOlh of January we met with ten pairs in 

 the oasis of Satscha, but never again, with the exception of a single 

 bird, which visited our ship at sea, and rested there for some hours. 



Cuculus canorus, L. — We saw this species for the first time on the 

 8th of April, in great numbers, near Philippeville. They deported 

 themselves then just the same as they do with us in the autumn. 

 Jynx torquilla, L. — Seen only once or twice, at different times. 



Gecinus Vaillaniii, Bp. — Like our green woodpeckers, not 

 plentiful, yet they might be met with in the woods everywhere. 

 A male, shot by Count Constanlin Branicki, near Lambessa, had 



