The Zoologist— May, 1871. 2581 



Alatida arvensis, L. — Still more numerous than the last-named 

 species, and like it keeping in flocks and in the same localities. 

 Only once, in December, I saw a male, which rose and began 

 singing ; otherwise they remained quiet. Towards the end of 

 January they became scarcer, and at the end of February they 

 were only to be met with here and there. 



A. arborea, L. — We saw and killed only a single specimen in 

 Bonarif. 



Calandrella brachydactyla, Bp. — Not seen during the whole 

 winter. In the beginning of March we caught sight of a small 

 flock, for the first time, near Biskra, and shot one of them. 

 i C. Reboudii, Loche. — This species is very common in the desert, 

 where it may be seen, in flocks consisting of a larger or smaller 

 number of birds, in districts covered with small shrubs. They 

 are continually alighting upon the bushes, pecking off the leaves 

 and searching for insects and seeds. These birds are not at all 

 timid. 



Ammomanes isabellina, Bp. — We first met with them on the 

 southern slope of the Atlas : on the middle of our way from Batna 

 to Elkantara they suddenly appeared in great numbers. They 

 chiefly inhabit strong places at the foot of the mountains, and on 

 rising ground. We also came across them in the desert, about 

 inhabited spots of a like character. 'I'he habits of these birds are 

 similar to those of the crested larks: like them they go in pairs; 

 they collect on foot-paths to pick up food, whereupon each pair 

 flies off to its own quarter : they are timid birds ; their flight is 

 similar ; and they twitter on in a most agreeable manner. The other 

 species mentioned in Loche's list I have not met with anywhere. 

 The crested larks are widely distributed throughout the whole 

 country, and would prove very interesting objects for closer 

 investigation. Loche distinguishes three forms among them — 

 Galerita cristata, G. Randoni and G. isabellina. On one rather 

 narrow strip of country visited by us we met with four birds 

 presenting among themselves very significant differences, each 

 occurring in certain circumscribed districts, so that where one of 

 them disappeared another took its place, the first never again being 

 seen. Of the three species mentioned above I could not find the 

 G. Randoni, described by Loche as an Algerian bird, its place being 

 supplied by the similarly long-beaked form of Tristram. That 

 form, which has been considered to be identical with the European, 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. VI. Z 



