1 92 1.] Breeding Birds of Crete. 133 



Tardus merula subsp. ? 



Only one bird, an adult male, obtained. Wing 11,'? and 

 culmen 25 mm. This is smaller than any other adult male 

 I have examined from Europe, and from what I saw of 

 the Blackbird in Crete, they all seemed uncommonly small. 

 It seems likely that this is a new insular race, but a larger 

 series are necessary before it can be named. A pair of live 

 birds were brought to Egypt, where they are doing well in 

 the Giza Zoological Gardens. 



The Blackbird occurs throughout the country, but is very 

 shy and difficult to obtain. Trevor-Battye (' Camping in 

 Crete ') thought the hill bird smaller than the plain bird, but 

 I did not notice this difference. 



Cretan name " kotsifos," 



Monticola solitarius solitarius (L.). 

 A female obtained belongs to the western race. 

 Occurs as a breeding species in all suitable country from 

 sea-level up to 6000 feet. 



Cretan name " petro kotsifos." 



(Enanthe cenanthe virago Meinertz. 



(Enanthe ce. virago Meinertzhagen, Bull. B. 0. C. xli. 

 1920, p. 20 : Mount Ida. 



Adult male with a more silvery mantle and larger culmen 

 than in the typical race. Adult female closely resembling 

 the male and not brown. Juvenile plumage tinged with 

 grey, whereas there is no grey in the young of the other 

 races. 



A common breeding bird on Mount Ida above about 

 4000 feet and ascending to the summit of Ida at 8200 feet. 



Fully-fledged young are about by the end of June. 



These birds appeared to be equally at home in the Ilex 

 forest, on the wind-swept slopes of Ida or among the snow 

 drifts, perching with equal ease on tree or rock. 



Mr. Witherby kindly lent me five birds from Suda Bay 

 obtained by Capt. Lynes in March and early April. The four 

 males have wings varying from 93 to 98 and culmens from 

 17"5 to 19 mm. One has a broad white forehead, two have 



