Ornithological Notes from Constantinople. Gl 



large flocks of this noble bird on both the Roumanian and 

 Bulgarian banks. Crossing the Black Sea from Varna to the 

 Bosphorus, our ship was visited by several Ring-Ouzels {Tvr- 

 dus torquatus) , apparently on their way south (Sept, 23rd) 

 and the same species was subsequently noticed suspended, 

 along with Rollers, Jays, and Quails, amongst the spoils of 

 the " chasseurs " at Constantinople. On the Bosphorus, at 

 this time of the year, the commonest Gulls are certainly the 

 Yellow-legged Herring-Gull [Larus leucophaus^) and the 

 Black-hooded L. melanocephalus. These were, in fact, the 

 only species noticed, except a single pair of L. fuscus at the 

 entrance to the Sea of Marmora. The Terns observed were 

 the Common and Sandwich {Sterna hirundo and S. cantiaca), 

 though others doubtless occur. Flocks of the well-known 

 Shearwater of the Bosphorus f, varying from five to fifty in 

 number, were seen every day. 



The following were the land-birds that most attracted our 

 attention in Constantinople and its vicinity : — 



1. MUSCICAPA PARVA. 



This Flycatcher is common along the old walls of the city, 

 amongst the trees and gardens, and also in the Turkish ceme- 

 teries, where the tall grave-stones form a most convenient 

 resting-place for it whilst on the look-out for insects. Birds 

 of the year (or females) are most abundant ; but the full-plu- 

 maged red-breasted male was also, at least on one occasion, 

 observed J. The Spotted Flycatcher [M. grisola) is likewise 



* We call tlie Mediterranean Herring-Gull thus in obedience to Mr. 

 Dresser, although Sclater had previovisly decided that its name should be 

 fuscesccns. See Lams fuscescens, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 315, and Rev. 

 Cat. Vert. p. 316, — synonyms ignored by Mr. Dresser. 



t The correct scientific name of this Shearwater seems to be still in 

 question. Strickland (P. Z. S. 1836, p. 101) observed it in the Levant in 

 1835, and referred it to Puffinus anglorum, which determination is usually 

 followed. But Acerbi had previously named it yelkouan (scribe yel-kovan, 

 "wind-driver" in Tm'kish, as Dr. Dickson informs us), and Salvadori 

 (Fauna d'ltalia, Uccelli, p. 299) has recently attempted to vindicate its 

 claims to specific distinctness. 



X MM. Alleon and Vian (Rev. Zool. 1873, p. 261) seem to think that, 

 of this species, only the young birds are found on the Bosphoriis during 



