I921.J Birds of Macedonia. 32* 



It isintereslino- to note tluit the present species and *S'. turtur 

 were rarely found together in the same district — i. e., in any 

 niinibei-s. A curious little trick associated with the courtship 

 was noticed at the end of February. One bird — no doubt 

 the male — would leave its mate sitting on a branch of a tall 

 tree, and then flutter u[)\vards for a few yards. The back 

 would be turned towards the female, and the tail S[)read to 

 its fullest extent. This dis[)lay was always of short duration. 

 The act of mating (in March) often took place on the very 

 slender twigs at the top of tall trees. The male would abso- 

 lutely pounce on the female, and then flutter round her in a 

 small circle, after which he would alight on her back again 

 with poised wings. In the spring it is difficult to find nests, 

 for they are placed in large and very leafy trees. Later in 

 the season, when the boughs are quite bare, they can be 

 located with much greater ease. 



Coturnix cotumix. Quail. 



Some in Februar3^ Plenty in April and May. There is 

 little doubt that a few Quails winter near the foothills. In 

 May several pairs frequented an acre or so of very densely 

 vegetated ground on the jdain. There were huge thistles, of 

 a kind that grows to the height of a man, growing in this 

 place, and they were so thick that getting after the Quails 

 was out of the question. 



Perdix perdix. Partridge. 



Common at all seasons, and more numerous in most 

 districts than the next species. 



Alectoris sp. ? Partridge. 



In some localities a red-legged Partridge is connnon at all 

 seasons, but I often went over wide stretches of country 

 without seeing a single bird. As I have no specimens irom 

 the Struma plain I hesitate to call these birds A. grceca. 



Phasianus colchicus. Pheasant. 



Seen in a few favoured localities only. 



