THE ALGERIAN SAHARA. 55 
Turtledove, Common English Turtledove, Pied Flycatcher, 
Wood Wren, Willow Wren, House Bunting, and Rock 
Chat (Saxicola leucopyga). Thesé Rock Chats are quite 
the handsomest birds in the oases. They are very common 
about the weds, (ie. dry rocky water-courses,) and on the 
wells, where I suspect they breed, as I saw some fly down 
them. I saw a boy with one which he had doubtless caught 
on its nest, tied to a long string which was passed through 
its nostrils! On the 25th I shot a Roller (Corracias garrula, 
Lin.). Its stomach contained four of the largest beetles. 
As might be expected, so rich an oasis affords food and 
shelter for many beautiful birds unknown in other: lands; 
and one, which from its gay colours has attracted the notice 
of all travellers, is the Roller. Accordingly M. M. Peysonnel 
and Des Fontaines, in their “Voyages dans les régences de 
Tunis et D’Alger,” say :— 
“On voit aussi le long des rivitres un bel oiseau qu’on nomme 
cher agra. * * * *  C’est un espéce de Geai: il se 
nourrit de sauterelles. Cet oiseau est de passage; il parait en 
Barbarie vers le mois de Mai, et y séjourne jusqu’en automne. II 
y niche dans des trous le long des rivitres; son cri est: gra, gra, 
gra.” 
This work was published in 1838, five years after Des 
Fontaines’ death. What few birds Des Fontaines collected 
are in the Paris Museum. His life was so much taken up 
with the study of flowers, that he seems to have only had 
time for one ornithological “brochure,” entitled “Memoire 
sur quelques espéces nouvelles d’oiseaux des cotes de Bar- 
barie.” (Mem. de l’Acad. des Sc. (1787), p. 496.) It contains 
figures and descriptions of seven species—Otis Hobara 
(Houbara "undulata), Turdus fulvus (Crateropus fulvus) 
Turdus barbatus ( Pycnonotus barbatus), Tetrao sylvaticus 
(Turnix sylvatica), Tetrao fasciatus (Pterocles arenarius), 
Falco ceruleus (Elanus cwruleus), Upupa alaudipes (Certhi- 
lauda desertorum). For a sight of it I am indebted to 
