378 Mr. H. Saunders om the 



78. Sturnus vulgaris_, Linn. 



The Starling was a common species. 



79. Pyrrhocorax GRACULus (Linn.). 



80. Pyrrhocorax alpinus, Kocli. 



The Red- billed Chough was abundant on La Rhune to- 

 wards Sare and in some parts of Navarre. In many parts of 

 the Higher Pyrenees this species is very numerous ; there are 

 colonies just above Pierrefitte, and close to St. Sauveur. 

 The Alpine Chough I never saw in the Basque Provinces, but 

 in the Val d^Aspe and eastward it is very common. As a 

 rule it inhabits higher ground than the Red-billed Chough, 

 but by no means invariably, for both species frequent the 

 wild gorges of Corsavi, under Canigou, in the Eastern 

 Pyrenees. 



The Nutcracker is undoubtedly found in the Pyrenees, 

 but I have no personal acquaintance with it. 



81. Garrulus glandarius (Linn.). 



The Jay is very common and resident in the wooded 

 districts. 



82. Pica rustica (Scop.). 



The Magpie swarms on the French side of the mountains, 

 but on the Spanish side, even where the country appears 

 equally suited to its habits, it is, I am happy to say, of rare 

 occurrence. In some places along the Adour the nests are 

 so close together that an uncritical traveller by rail or road 

 might easily be deceived into the belief that he was looking 

 at a somewhat straggling rookery. 



In the Bayonne Museum there is a specimen of the Spanish 

 Blue-winged Magpie (Cycmopica cooki), said to have been 

 shot within the French Ijoundary ; but M. Hiriart, the curator, 

 shakes his head over it ; and certainly the average range of 

 this bird does not extend north of the Ebro valley. 



The Jackdaw was not observed by me anywhere; I heard 

 what I took to be its note more than once, but the birds were 

 flying high, and were possibly Choughs. 



