538 Recently published Ornithological JVui'h. 



74!. Schiebel on the Birds of Lesina. 



[Beitrage zur Ornithologie der siidalmatisclien Insel Lesina (uebst 

 anderen Reisenotizen). Von Dr. G. Schiebel. Orn. Jahrb. 1907, p. 161, et 

 1908, p. 1.] 



In April 1907 Dr. G. Schiebel, of Innsbruck, made an 

 ornithological tour through Croatia, Bosnia, and Herzo- 

 govina to the South-Dalmatian Island of Lesina, and re- 

 mained there for a month collecting birds. He now gives 

 us an interesting narrative of his journey, and remarks on 

 the birds observed during his route, ending with a systematic 

 list, accompanied by field-notes on the species of which 

 examples were collected and observed in Lesina. 



Passing through Serajevo Dr. Schiebel did not fail to pay 

 a visit to the well-known ornithologist Herr Reiser and his 

 famous collection of the birds of the Balkan peninsula. 

 Dr. Schiebel's daily journal is given throughout his route 

 and contains many entertaining passages. He also gives a 

 full description of the physical characters of the charming 

 island of Lesina, where he passed the whole month of May. 

 In Lesina Dr. Schiebel did not amass a large collection — 

 only 75 skins. But he had no taxidermist with him, and 

 was obliged to make his skins with his own hands, which, 

 after the whole day has been passed in the open, must 

 become a tiresome business. 



The systematic list, with field-notes and remarks, which 

 occupies the second portion of the author's memoir, enume- 

 rates about 60 species as met with in the island of Lesina. 

 They are named and arranged in the same fashion as in 

 Herr Kollibay's memoirs on the birds of Dalmatia and 

 the Bocche di Cattaro, which have been previously noticed 

 in this Journal. The most novel point in the list appears 

 to be the author's theory that Saxicola aurita and S. stapa- 

 zina are really only different phases of the same species. 

 On this he descants at length, and gives some evidence in 

 its favour. It is, however, a case for further investigation, 

 and cannot be decided upon the seven specimens of this 

 widely spread form obtained by the author on the little 

 island of Lesina. 



