TO RUSSIA AND BACK. 1 5 



pair of Black Redstarts. They seem partial to bricks and 

 mortar. So is the Crested Lark, which at Hanover will 

 perch freely on buildings. Near the Waterloo Column I 

 had about twenty of the two species in view at once. 



Having done the Museum, which contained a Great Auk, 

 I took the train to Brussels. In Brussels* market I have 

 always found good birds, and on this occasion I made the 

 following list of species during the few days I spent there : — ■ 

 Curlews, Hazel Grouse, Serin Finch, Spotted Redshanks,* 

 (easily picked out by their long bills,) Scaup, f Gadwall, 

 Pintail, Shoveller, Grey Shrikes, Hawfinch, Jays, (some of 

 them plucked !) Dunlins, Spotted Crakes, Coots, Water- 

 Hens, Dabchick, Jack Snipes (in plenty). Woodcocks (a fair 

 number), Pheasants (a few), Grey and Red-legged Partridges 

 (about equally common), Quail, Red Grouse, (these at a 

 poulterer's,) Wood Pigeons, Wild Geese, (I forget what 

 species ; but on another occasion I saw a small but un- 

 doubted Bean Goose,) Short-eared Owls, Lapwings, Golden 

 Plovers, Green Woodpecker, Magpies,^ Merlin. The con- 

 sumption of Thrushes is nearly as great as at Berlin, and 

 many birds which we should not much esteem are sold for 

 food, e.g., Thrushes, Redwings, Blackbirds, Ring Ouzels, 

 and an occasional Fieldfare or Missel Thrush, which find 

 patronizers. Nor are there wanting people who have the 

 heart to dine off Bramblings, Larks, and Tree Sparrows ; 

 and I even saw a Robin and a Cole Titmouse offered among 

 the more legitimate gibier : but my greatest stroke of luck 



** I have often seen Spotted Redshanks in Leadenhall market. They 

 have been got there in all states of plumage, but the commonest is the 

 adult winter, and the rarest the adult summer. 



■f In the Exeter Museum there is a curious female Scaup Duck with 

 a white collar, also a white chin, which was shot on the Exe. 



\ On the 23rd of December, 1869, I saw an astonishing number of 

 Magpies in the market at Paris, but nothing else except a great many 

 Squirrels. 



