407 
1921 .] oj Tunisia and Algeria. 
number of White Storks (Ciconia ciconia ciconia ) which 
make their home in the Arab quarter of the town. On the 
picturesque old red roofs of the houses which rise in tiers to the 
north-east of the bridge of El Rached (Plate IY.), I counted 
as many as forty Storks sitting or standing by their great 
nests, while a number of others were flying overhead, their 
long necks and legs stretched out to their •full extent. This, 
of course, is the usual position in which the Stork flies, but 
I have also seen them wheeling overhead at a considerable 
altitude with their legs drooping down, as if preparatory to 
alighting. Unmolested by the Arabs, the Storks of Con¬ 
stantine add greatly to the already wonderfully picturesque 
Rue Perregaux, from various points of which the great birds 
and their nests may be observed at close quarters. 
In the early morning of 3rd March we left Constantine 
for Biskra by the now well-known tourist route to the oasis 
on the fringe of the desert. At this early hour numerous 
Storks were seen in the fields, busily feeding ; at Kroubs, 
where they were particularly numerous, I noticed four huge 
nests built in one small tree bare of leaves, which hardly 
appeared large enough to support one such ungainly structure. 
Between Ain MTila and Ain Yagout the train traverses an 
immense flat stony plain, for the most part covered with 
grass, to the west of which rugged limestone hills rise 
abruptly. Lapwings, Starlings, Larks, and great numbers 
of Sparrows were constantly seen from the train. East of 
the line the distant mountains were white with snow. 
Several shallow salt-lakes were passed surrounded by rough, 
rush-covered ground with here and there inviting pools, 
where a great many small wading birds were observed. • 
The line runs close to the Salt Chotts Tinzilts and 
Ez Zemoul absolutely bare of vegetation around their edges. 
To my disappointment not a bird was to be seen. On 
the 20th of February, thirteen years previously, Dr. Hartert 
found on the former sheet of water many Ducks, a few 
(lulls, and hundreds of Flamingoes. The station, “Les 
Lacs,” is on the very edge of the lake, and as the train pulls 
up there for a few minutes and then sweeps round one side 
SER. xi.— VOL. hi. 2 E 
