The Zoologist — August, 1871. 2723 



some absinth, the most dangerous of all fermented liquors. After 

 that the chief led the way to where his masons were building a 

 house. I observed that instead of ordinarj' mud-bricks they were 

 employing stones and plaster, which are probably found to answer 

 better upon a rocky surface, where little or no foundation can be 

 obtained. 



In conversation with the Arabs the terra "tair el h'orh " was 

 often made use of, meaning the falcon par excellence, coupled 

 with the name of General Marguerite, who formerly lived at 

 Laghouat, but is now Governor at Algiers, and who is one of the 

 best authorities on the subject of falconry among the Bedouins. 

 It is stated, in the ' Chasses de I'Algerie' of this author, that the 

 hawks trained for the chase are five— El Arem, El Meguerness, El 

 Bahri, El Terchoun, El Kreloui ; but Dr. Tristram, an equally good 

 authority, recognises seven sorts— El Sakkr, L'Abli, El Terakel, 

 Tair el h'ohr, El Bahri, El Bourni, El Zebarbach (Ibis, i. p. 297). 

 My father has kindly compared the evidence, and he is led to con- 

 clude that El Arem and El Terakel are the female Sakkr falcon 

 {Falco sacer), and El Sakkr the male of that species ; El Meguer- 

 ness being the \aLm\ex ^ {Falco lanarius) and El Bahri the peregrine, 

 which bears the native name of Byhri in India: he would coincide 

 with Dr. Tristram in identifying El Bourni with the Barbary falcon 

 [Falco barbarus), and Zebarbach with the hobby {Falco subbuteo). 

 There thus remain three names to be accounted for. 



The missing camel turned up on Sunday, the 17th, to my great 

 relief; the Spahis had recovered it for me and taken it back to 

 Laghouat: several of my things had been lost or injured. With 

 the camel came a letter from the captain of the " Bureau Arab," 

 strongly advising my immediate return, on account of the dis- 

 turbances at Zergoun ; but Mohammed overruled this, deeming that 

 it would be better to stay in safe quarters until the country was 

 quiet. Accordingly we remained with the Mzab for three weeks, 

 during all which time we were fed and lodged gratis at the different 



* Some naturalists have considered the lanner falcon as having a good claim to 

 be included in the list of British birds, on the ground that the figure of Lewin was 

 referable to no other species (B. B. i. § 17). AU the plates in my copy of that work 

 are so poorly coloured that many are not recognizable. There is less fault to find 

 with the sketch and outline ; but even supposing that the picture does represent the 

 true Falco lanarius of Schlegel, it wUl be found, on referring to the accompanying 

 letter-press, that there is no reason to suppose that he either drew or coloured from 

 a specimen killed in England. 



