2 8 THE ANIMALS OF NORTHERN AFRICA 



habits not only the isles from which it takes its English name, but likewise Madeira, 

 and the Canaries, is also very similar to the chaffinch, differing by the blackish 

 crown, dark grey neck and back, cream-coloured sides of the head and undcr-parts, 

 white chin, and grey flanks. A third member of the same group is the Teneriffe 

 finch (F. teydea), of the island from which it takes its name, a species somewhat 

 larger than a chaffinch. The cocks are blue above and lighter below, while in the 

 hens the back is olive-brown and the under surface pale grey. This comparatively 

 rare bird is a native of pine-woods, where it feeds on pine-seeds, which are readily 

 extracted by its strong beak from the cones. 



The African magpie (Pica mawritanica), which brings us to the crow tribe, is 

 remarkable in that it comes nearer to the Californian representative of the genus 

 than to the European species. Somewhat smaller than the latter, it has shorter 

 wings, a black back, and a bare blue patch behind each eye. In the last-mentioned 

 respect it resembles the Californian magpie, from which it differs by its yellow beak. 

 The carrion and the grey crow both occur in North Africa, where, as in Europe, 

 they inhabit separate areas, the former being found in north-western Africa, and 

 the latter in Egypt. Of the shrike tribe, there are several representatives in this 

 area ; among them being the masked shrike (Lanias nubiciis), which winters in 

 Nubia, whence it migrates to southern Europe. Frequenting the neighbourhood of 

 cultivated grounds, this species feeds chiefly on insects, and nests in olive-trees. 

 An Algerian species, which builds in bushes, and never perches on projecting 

 boughs, is the northern hooded shrike (Pomatorltynchus senegalus), which ranges 

 into tropical Africa, but is replaced in the south of the continent by P. tschagra 

 { erythropterus). 



The only member of the so-called picarian birds demanding 



Woodpecker. . L ° 



mention here is the Algerian green woodpecker (Gecinus vaillanti), 



which is a North African species closely related to the green and the grey-headed 



woodpeckers of Europe. 



„, _ „ Among the nocturnal birds-of-prey the eagle-owls have a North 



Birds-of-Prey. . ° f , 



African representative in Pharaoh's owl (Bubo ascalaphus), whose 



plumage is yellowish brown in colour with spots of dark brown and white. In the 



diurnal group north-western Africa is the home of the white-shouldered eagle 



(Aquila adalberti), also known as the Spanish imperial eagle, a species so closely 



resembling the European imperial eagle, more especially when young, that at this 



age it is scarcely distinguishable. Later on, however, it differs by having a white 



patch on the carpal joint of the wing. It also occurs in Spain. Sea-eagles are 



represented throughout the whole of the African continent by Haliaetus vocifer, 



a species inferior in point of size to the northern members of the genus, and 



distinguished by the white head, breast, and tail, the reddish brown under-parts, 



lower wing-coverts, and upper wing-margins, and the black feathers of the rest of 



the wings and shoulders. Besides the black kite (Milvus ater), which is common 



to Europe, North Africa is the home of the Egyptian kite (M. cegyptius), a species 



differing from the former by the yellow beak, and, in old age, the brown head. 



This bird is one of the street-scavengers of North African towns, as is also the 



well-known white scavenger-vulture (Neophron percnopterus) of the whole of 



northern Africa, commonly called Pharaoh's hen. The contrast of the black 



