332 Mr. H. Seebohm on the Ornithology of Siberia. 



CORVUS FRUGILEGUS^ Liiin. 



As we sledged over the snow in March and April from 

 Nishni Novgorod to Yen-e-saisk', we never by any chance saw 

 a Rook amongst the Magpies, Ravens, Crows, or Jackdaws 

 on the road-side. Nor did I meet with this bird within the 

 Arctic circle ; but I was informed, upon very good authority, 

 that a pair had once been seen two stations south of Vare- 

 shin'-sky, about lat. 68^°. On the return journey I kept a 

 sharp look-out for the Rook, but did not see it until we were 

 threading the labyrinth of the Toor'-a, a little to the east of 

 Tyu-main'. Here large flocks of Rooks were feeding on the 

 banks of the river. 



CoRVUs MONEDULA, Linn. 



Jackdaws were common on the road-sides and in the villages 

 through which we sledged as far as Tomsk, but became 

 gradually rarer as we nearedKras-no-yarsk', and disappeared 

 altogether at Yen-e-saisk'. Mr. Boiling told me that a stray 

 bird of this species was occasionally seen at the latter town, 

 but that he had not seen any further north. 



NUCIFRAGA CARYOCATACTES (Linn.). 



As we sledged down the Yen-e-say' in April we first saw 

 the Nutcracker in lat. 64°; and from that time we rarely 

 missed seeing these birds at the different stations where we 

 stopped to change horses. When we reached the ' Thames ' 

 we found this bird quite common and remarkably tame. At 

 one time I counted as many as eight in one tree together. 

 They are wonderfully sociable birds. Whilst the sailors were 

 working at the ship, cutting away the ice all round her^ there 

 were frequently two or three Nutcrackers in different parts 

 of the rigging, apparently watching the operation with great 

 interest. They seem to be well aware of the fact that offal 

 and scraps of food of all kinds are always to be found in winter 

 near the habitations of man. Their tameness was quite 

 absurd. Sometimes the Ost-yak children shot one with a bow 

 and arrow ; and occasionally one was caught by the dogs. On 

 the bushes round the house they allowed us to approach within 

 four 01 five feet of them, and when disturbed moved to the 



