384 



Egypt, bordering the Libyan desert ; he himself never met with it on the Nile ; nor do any speci- 

 mens appear to have been collected in Egypt of latter years. All that have found their way into 

 collections appear to have been obtained in Algeria, where it occurs, though even there it is 

 extremely rare. Canon Tristram, writing on the ornithology of that country, says that " this 

 grotesque and singular-looking bird is found in small flocks on the mountain-sides south of 

 El Aghouat. I never heard of it being obtained in any other locality ; nor did I ever meet with 

 it but on one occasion, when I obtained four specimens. In its flight it resembles the other 

 Larks, and at first sight, from the broad black and white bands on the secondaries, might be 

 taken for Certhilauda desertorum. It runs with great rapidity, and is very shy." Mr. L. Tacza- 

 nowski, who also met with it in Algeria, concurs with Canon Tristram in stating that it is 

 extremely rare, and further writes that he only saw three examples during the time he was 

 collecting in Algeria — one in January, near the Tolga oasis, and a pair in March, at the Seriana 

 oasis ; and two out of these three, both males, he procured. He says that it is not a shy bird, 

 and when frightened up settles again. 



Of the habits of the Thick-billed Lark nothing is known beyond what Canon Tristram 

 states (as above quoted) and what meagre notes are published by Major Loche, which latter we 

 translate as follows : — " This species is met with more especially on the plateaux of the Sahara, 

 between Laghouat and Guerrera, in small families of six or eight individuals ; it is shy, and 

 difficult of approach, runs with great facility, and its flight is strong; it feeds on insects and 

 seeds ; its nest, which is placed in a depression in the ground, is loosely lined with grass bents 

 and horsehair. The eggs, four in number, are more or less pure white, covered with small reddish 

 spots, which latter are collected towards the larger end, forming a ring ; they bear considerable 

 resemblance to the eggs of a Shrike ; in size they measure about 25 by 16 millimetres. 



The birds described, the male bird being the one figured, are in Dresser's collection, and 

 were obtained by Major Loche in the Algerian Sahara. 



In the preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a , 6 , °, ? . Algerian Sahara [Loche). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 



a, <$ . Algerian Sahara (Loche). 



a, <$ . Algeria (Verreaux). 



E Mus. I). G. Elliot. 



