Ornithological Notes from Constantinople. 63 



stantinople, but were not able to distinguish the species. 

 Numerous specimens, however, which we saw hung up in 

 the poulterers^ shops in Constantinople and in other towns on 

 the Bosphorus were all Garrulus glandarlus ; so that our ob- 

 servations do not quite agree with Mr. Dresser's statement in 

 his article on the Black-headed Jay, that that " is the com- 

 monest species near Constantinople. '' 



We notice that MM. Alleon and Vian (Rev. Zool. 1873, 

 p. 243) speak of an intermediate form as being prevalent, 

 which might be well expected where the two representative 

 species inosculate. 



So much (or so little, perhaps we should say) for what we 

 saw in life. As regards museums of natural history at Con- 

 stantinople, we believe there is but one, that of the American 

 College at Bebek, on the European bank of the Bosphorus, 

 about six miles from the imperial city. This museum is, in- 

 deed, still in embryo, but contains a good series of stuffed 

 specimens of the birds of the Bosphorus and its vicinity, ori- 

 ginally made by Mr. T. Robson, and lately acquired from him 

 by the authorities of the institution. Dr. Albert L. Long, 

 to whom the care of the collection is confided, was obliging 

 enough to give us every facility for examining it. Many of 

 the birds were of considerable interest; and we may offer the 

 following notes upon some few specimens which especially 

 attracted our attention. 



Syrnium aluco (?). 



The collection contains a very curious black Owl which we 

 consider to be a melanism of Syrnium aluco ; and Dr. Long 

 told us that Robson, who shot the bird near Constantinople, 

 was of the same opinion. This specimen is rather smaller 

 than average examples of Syrnium aluco, and is nearly black ; 

 but in a favourable light one can see traces of the markings 

 characteristic of that species, showing faintly, like the nearly 

 obsolete spots on the skin of a black leopard. 



CORACIAS INDICA (LiuU.). 



A single mounted specimen of the Indian Roller is in the 

 collection, which is stated to have been shot on the railway- 



