Birds of the Pyrenees. 375 



Bayonne Museum ; but this species is extremely rare in the 

 Western Pyrenees, although the overhanging eaves of the 

 Basque and Navarrese houses appear very suitable for its 

 nests. A sharp look-out was kept for the latter, but no 

 trace of them was noticed as far east as the Val d^Aspe. 

 The House-Martin breeds abundantly at St. Sauveur and 

 near Luchon. In the gorges of the Eastern Pyrenees I 

 observed it as late as the 29th October, hawking for insects, 

 at the same time and place as the next species, but always 

 lower down, close to the mountain-torrents. 



53. COTILE RUPESTRIS (Scop.). 



The Crag-Martin is resident throughout the year, from 

 the Pas de Roland, near Cambo, to the gorges of the Eastern 

 Pyrenees. 



54. Carduelis elegans, Stej)h. 



The Goldfinch is generally distributed; on the Spanish 

 slope from Roncesvalles to Pamplona it was more abundant 

 in spring than any other species of bird. 



55. Crysomitris spinus (Linn.). 



The Siskin was tolerably common throughout the winter, 

 especially on the Spanish side ; and by the 2nd of April 

 numbers were passing northwards. 



56. Serinus hortulanus, Koch. 



I was rather surprised to hear the familiar note of the 

 Serin Finch on the trees just outside Argeles on the 18th of 

 March ; but the position of that place is a very sheltered one. 

 I saw the birds daily, and with the aid of a binocular there 

 could be no mistake in the identification of the species. 



57. LiGURiNUs cHLORis (Liun.). 



The Greenfinch is common and resident. 



58. Passer domesticus (Linn.). 



59. Passer montanus (Linn.). 



The House-Sparrow is pretty generally distributed in the 

 neighbourhood of towns and villages. The Tree-Sparrow 

 although more local, is also common, and during the winter 

 and early spring a good many were to be observed in the 



