136 Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, ^c. 



" On our next day's expedition we discovered that both Petro- 

 cincla rupestris and Tichodroma muraria inhabit the environs of 

 the town. M. Le Coq, one of the principal inhabitants, has a 

 first-rate collection both of the birds and eggs of Europe ; 

 indeed I have never seen a cabinet richer in carefully selected 

 series of southern forms of the latter. Although far from 

 perfect in northern species, it is well worth a visit from any 

 ornithologist. His collection of birds contains eight specimens 

 of Gypaetus harhatus from the Pyrenees, and I noticed that they 

 are of a much deeper colour on the breast than those from the 

 Atlas. 



" Arrived at Marseilles, in the course of a long ramble on the 

 heights beyond the city, two Tithys Redstarts were the sole con- 

 tribution we could have made to an ornithological census. I think 

 it is Victor Hugo who somewhere describes a chasseur of Mar- 

 seilles as so delighted by the sight of a Blackbird that he pur- 

 sues him in vain for a fortnight into the centre of France. Such 

 enthusiasm today must needs have been latent. Yet, returned 

 to our hotel, we found that there was actually ' gibier a la carte ; ' 

 for two Thrushes were marked at three francs. My friend could 

 not but inquire after them, and extracted from the garqon the 

 humiliating confession that even at that price the ' grive ' had 

 but a paper existence. Having two days on hand, we started on 

 a geological expedition twenty-five miles to the east. We met with 

 few birds on the mountain-sides, but those we did see were full 

 of interest. Sylvia melanocephala and *S. passerina were to be 

 seen in the hollows ; Ruticilla tithys now and then among the 

 rocks ; and occasionally Tichodroma muraria, with his singularly 

 shaped oblong heavy wings, against the cliff-side, responding in 

 a low treble to the harsh wail of Petrocincla cyanea on the 

 heights above him. Of large Rapjtores, even in this mountainous 

 district of Cassis, we did not see a vestige." 



We are again compelled, from the same reason as before, to 

 delay the promised article on the invasion of Syrrhaptes. 



