of the Delta of the Rhone. '171 



time one of the most restiicted as regards its range, of 

 European birds. That they are doomed in this, their only- 

 retreat in France, is certain, for on neither visit did we 

 observe young birds — not even in September 1896 — though 

 we saw scores of nests which had evidently been built that 

 season. The Flamingo^ however, is a mere survival of the 

 former ornithological glory of the Camargue. Even this 

 relic must soon for ever pass away, though the lagoons and 

 wastes will remain for long years to come as mementoes of 

 this ancient metropolis of bird-life, and of the remarkable 

 bird which was once its chief ornament. 



Frequent reference will be made in the succeeding portion 

 of this contribution to the statements of Jaubert and 

 Barthelemy-Lapommeraye, and contained in their useful 

 work entitled ' Les Richesses ornithologiques du Midi de la 

 France' (1859-61). 



TURDUS VISCIVORUS. 



We again saw the Mistle-Thrush^ in some numbers, in the 

 nortliern portion of the Camargue and in the neighbourhood 

 of ArleSj and it is undoubtedly a breeding species. This 

 bird is mentioned here for the purpose of quoting a state- 

 ment made in ' Les Richesses ' (p. 204) that many nest in 

 the Departments of Var and Basses-Alpes (e. e. in the high- 

 lands of Provence), which implies that it does not breed 

 in the low country of the Bouches-du-Rhone. 



Saxicola (ENANTHE. 



The Wheatear was extraordinarily abundant on passage, 

 and was observed throughout the Camargue during the latter 

 half of September, ami probably throughout that month. It 

 was an object of much attention from the sportsmen of Aries, 

 to whom the " cul-blanc " seemed to be a favourite ''game- 

 bird,'' and many hundreds were shot to our knowledge in 

 September 1896. This species is a bird of double passage in 

 the Midi. 



*RUTICILLA PHCENICURUS. 



The Redstart is a bird of passage only in the South of 



