420 
Rev. H. R. Tristram on the 
The occurrence of this little bird in perhaps the most isolated 
locality of the whole Sahara is very interesting. 
66. Crateropus fulvus (Desf.). “ Erhib el Hadjel,” Arab.* 
i.e. the Adopted Son of the Partridge. 
This bird, discovered by Des Fontaines in the last century, 
forms one of the features of Saharan ornithology, numerous 
wherever there are trees either wild or cultivated, and as noisy 
and garrulous as the Starling, whom it much resembles in its 
manner of flight. It flies very straight with its long tail ex¬ 
panded, and is very wary. Often secreting themselves by threes 
and fours in a shrub, these birds remain closely concealed, till at 
the pursuer’s near approach they silently steal away close to 
the ground to the next bush. They are generally in companies of 
seven or eight. Invariably do they alight at the foot of the tree 
or bush, and then noiselessly creep up to the very top, descend¬ 
ing in line on the other side, except one sentinel who remains 
perched on the topmost bough to give the alarm of danger. 
Often as I have watched them, I never saw them omit this pre¬ 
caution. The note is very peculiar— chur-churr-r-r-—wheer- 
wheer-wheer. The nest is a loose fabric of sticks and fine roots 
and straws; and I was told by the Arabs that they lay a blue 
egg, which Captain Loche has since had forwarded to him, and 
of which I have received a specimen. They are considered good 
eating by the French Spahi officers, and have wonderful medi¬ 
cinal qualities according to the Arab Hakeems. I found the 
flesh bitter and dry. The sexes are alike in plumage. On dis¬ 
section I have found the gizzard filled indiscriminately with 
beetles and seeds. 
67. Motacilla alba. {WhiteWagtail.) “ ’M’sissi” Arab. 
68. Budytes flava. (Yellow Wagtail.) 
Both extremely abundant wherever there is moisture, saline 
or fresh, all through the winter. The White Wagtail is both 
scattered and frequently in vast clouds. Of the Yellow I have 
found the two varieties flava and cinereocapilla , but did not in 
the Desert meet with the lighter-coloured extreme, B. rayi , nor 
with the darker-headed variety, so common in the East, B. me- 
lanocephala . 
