196 Mr. F. N. Cliasen on the [Ibis, 



I judged them to be birds that had spent tlie day wanderiiig 

 about at the foot of the hills and banded toirether in the 

 late afternoon. Later, I saw several Hocks leave the ground 

 and mount high into the air — they always fly high on these 

 occasions — and take a straight line for the roosting-place, 

 exactly like a mob of Rooks. Small flocks of about a dozen 

 birds followed at intervals, from various points, for some 

 time. I rarely saw more than thirty Magpies in one compact 

 flock. Several times during the latter end of May — when 

 some of the young were beginning to fly — I saw cases of 

 what appeared to be lack of parental affection in this species. 



Garrulus glandarius. Jay. 



Seen in the wooded districts which are few and restricted 

 in area. A local bird, not straying over the country like the 

 Magfiie. After severe weather and snow on the hills, odd 

 birds appeared on the Struma plain, especially in December. 



Sturnus vulgaris. Starling. 



A common resident. Flocks on the open ground in winter 

 and also other birds in the villages. The Starlings diminished 

 in numbers in July and August, when I noticed a comp'ete 

 absence from certain haunts. They breed mainly in the 

 villages. There were evening flights to roosting-places 

 near the Struma — usually large clumps of reeds — which 

 reminded one of the Starling's habits on the Norfolk 

 Broads. Starlings breeding in Elisan had purple heads. 



Oriolus oriolus. Golden Oriole. 

 Several seen in June. • 



[FiiiNGiLLiDiE. — Very few Finches of any species were 

 seen in the spring, and I found no nests other than those of 

 S[)arrows.] 



Coccothraustes coccothraustes. Hawfinch. 

 One record only. 2o January, near Lozista. 



Chloris chloris. Greenfinch. 



Small flocks common from October to February, but this 

 was by no means a conspicuously abundant species. A few 

 seen in the spring. 



