Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, ^c. 237 



2000 metres). This mountain is quite clear of wood, nor are 

 even single trees to be seen. Towards the east the side of the 

 mountain descends almost perpendicularly ; and amongst the 

 rocks are many Red-legged Partridges {Perdix rubra), and great 

 numbers of Choughs [Pyrrhocorax graculus), which breed there. 

 On the southern side, which is quite covered with grass, the 

 ascent is easy on mules. In the ascent I only met with a few 

 Meadow Pipits [Anthus pratensis), single or in couples. The 

 mountain has two summits, one towards the west, the other 

 towards the east, separated by a deep rent, at the bottom of 

 which is a very small lake, named Pilate's Lake. I ascended 

 the eastern summit. On the descent, at about 400 feet from 

 the top, a flight of about thirty birds passed above my head, which 

 I recognized directly to be the Snow Bunting [Plectrophanes 

 nivalis), since some were entirely white beneath, while their 

 wings and tail were white and black, and these must have been 

 old males ; whilst others, probably young birds or females, were 

 whitish beneath, and those parts of the wings and tail which 

 were black in the former in these were brownish. Their flight 

 was undulating, and their note, though louder, resembled that 

 of the Siskin {Fringilla spinus). 



Much to my regret, I was not able to procure any specimen. 

 The guides told me that these were the Birds of Mount Vetore 

 [Uccelli di Vetore), and that shepherds frequently found their 

 nests on the ground. 



Next year I propose to make a careful search in order to pro- 

 cure the nest and eggs ; and during the coming winter I hope 

 to have from that locality some specimens of the species, of which 

 I have in my collection of Italian birds a young specimen killed 

 near Pisa, on the 18th of November, 1857. 



I take this opportunity to acquaint you with a singular case 

 of hybridism. In November 1861 I purchased in Florence a 

 living bird which had the appearance of a Thrush, and in size, 

 colour of the bill, legs, feet, and upper parts was quite 

 like a Song-Thrush [Turdus musicus). The lower parts were 

 almost entirely black, except the edge of each feather, which 

 was of a light colour; round the neck it had a narrow ring of 

 feathers of a yellowish white ; on the belly were two or three 



