BIRD LIFE IN EASTERN ALGERIA. 127 



cilia moussieri) , was not very uncommon on the bushed hillsides, 

 where it perches on a twig or a rock indiscriminately. Its alarm- 

 notes are curious — a clear "zip zip zip" or "zeep," and a low 

 grating " p'zir " or " pzare." 



I did not identify a Wheatear, but probably both Saxicola 

 stapazina and S. aurita occur ; one or the other I saw. 



The only Titmouse was the dark blue representative of our 

 Blue Tit (Par us ultramarinus) , which is not uncommon, and 

 rather fond of prickly -pear gardens. 



The Woodchat (Lanius rufus) was rather common, and of 

 course very conspicuous, whether perched on a bush or in flight, 

 when it looks as much pied as a Magpie. It is less Shrike-like 

 in general mien than other species of the genus with which I am 

 acquainted, and sits in rather a dumpy position, its stout thick 

 form contributing to this appearance. When a pair of Wood- 

 chats are sitting on a bush together in the breeding season, the 

 male does a good deal of courting, frequently bowing to the 

 female. The chestnut of the female's head is usually of a much 

 lighter tint than that of the male. The latter sings regularly ; 

 he has a really proper song — a rather quick chatter, harsh 

 certainly, but with three variations, and tolerably continuously 

 delivered, though it comes out in jerks. The Woodchat sings a 

 good deal as it sits on a bush close to the female, bowing 

 repeatedly to her at intervals. Besides its song, the Woodchat 

 has some other notes, e.g. " hek hek hek," and " tchay tchay 

 tchay." 



Neither the Calandra nor the Short-toed Lark — birds of the 

 plains chiefly — seem to come so far up the valley, but the Crested 

 Lark is found in small numbers at the foot of and a little way up 

 the hills. It is not the ordinary form of Alauda cristata, but a 

 darker form, referred by Mr. Whitaker to A. cristata thecklce, 

 Sharpe ('Ibis,' 1895, p. 99). The song of the Crested Lark is 

 not continuous when the bird is circling round in the air. The 

 bird sings chiefly hanging in the air with beating wings, and almost 

 without changing its place ; then it moves a bit and sings again. 

 The song is lower and more leisurely than the Sky Lark's ; the 

 individual notes are perhaps on the whole better, being more 

 mellow, but the song is less varied. This Lark will also sing 

 when perched on a bush or a stone. Invariably after alighting (it 

 perches on a bush quite as often as on the ground) it utters its 



