Vol. XXXV.] 16 



The Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain exhibited a series of clutches 

 of eggs of forty species taken by himself in Algeria during 

 the spring of 1913 and 1914. Altogether about fifty species 

 were found breeding. Possibly the most interesting was 

 Pterocles senegallus, of which a single egg was exhibited. 

 Although common in some districts of North Africa, 

 Mr. Jourdain believed that this was the first occasion on 

 which a nest of this Sandgrouse had been found in Africa, 

 though a few eggs had been obtained in Syria, Mesopotamia, 

 and Sind — perhaps ten or twelve in all. 



Mr. Jourdain also obtained a fine series of 37 eggs (o£ 

 the rare white type) of Diplootocus moussieri, and made 

 some remarks on the breeding-habits of (Enanthe lugens 

 halophila and CE. leucurus syenitica as observed by him. 

 Pica p. mauritanica was found breeding in tolerable numbers 

 in Ilex scrub in the Lamb^se district in both seasons. 

 All the eggs shown were obtained in Eastern Algeria 

 between Philippeville and Bone in the north and Biskra 

 and Bordj Saada in the south. 



Dr. Hartert noted that all the nests of the Magpie 

 {Pica p. mauritanica) which he had seen were placed in 

 bushes, so that one could reach them from the ground. 



Referring to Mr. Jourdain's interesting exhibit the 

 Chairman remarked that during his visits to the Sahara he 

 had found (Enanthe lugens to be remarkably tame. A clutch 

 of eggs of this species was found in a mud- bank and while 

 digging it out the female sat close by. 



The Chairman further remarked that he had found only 

 two clutches of Diplootocus moussieri ; the first nest was 

 discovered in a small bush and the second was placed under 

 some boulders. 



Mr. Jourdain stated that out of the 27 nests of D. mous- 

 sieri examined by him, most were built in juniper bushes 

 from one to three feet from the ground ; some were actually 

 on the ground, while one was placed in a hole of some old 

 matting which sheltered a row of beehives. 



