54 Dr. O. Finsch's Ornithological Letters. 



A. aquaticus, Alpine Crows^ apparently Pyrrhocorax, Aquila 

 fulva, Saxicola cenanthe (bnt with a stouter bill) , and, strangely 

 enoughj Cr ex prat en sis. 



The Marakul lake abounded with birds. I never before 

 saw so many Eagles ; and the number of Milvus melanotis was 

 astonishing : on a single dead tree I counted fifteen. The 

 Eagles belonged to H. leucoryphus, a species like Aquila ra- 

 pax, but larger, A. imperialis, and A. fulva. I shot a singular 

 Regulus, without a stripe on the crown, which may be new. 

 Besides these we ohtnmed Alotacilla citreola, Anthus pratensis, 

 Turdus atrogularis, Sturnns vulgaris, and a beautiful Bunting 

 resembling Emberiza pithyornis, but different, and perhaps 

 new. The lake was rich with waterfowl — Anas rutila (with 

 young broods), A. crecca, A. penelope, A. strepera, A. acuta, 

 A. boschas, A. nyroca, &c., Podiceps cristatus and P. cor- 

 nutus, Carbo cormoranus, Larus ridibundus. Sterna fissipes, 

 &c. We saw neither Geese nor Pelecans. 



From Altaiskesche Stanitza we travelled as quickly as pos- 

 sible by way of Serianowsk Usdkamenogorsk to Barnaul, 

 where we arrived on the 22nd of June. During this journey 

 we travelled too fast to observe or collect much. Above Se- 

 rianowsk I saw a peculiar Swift, larger than Cypselus apus, 

 but with a white rump. Dr. Brehmhas since been fortunate 

 enough to secure a specimen at Salair, on the northern 

 Altai, between Barnaul and Tomsk ; and I do not doubt that 

 the species will prove to be undescribed. When going on 

 the river Irtsch, from Werchne Pristan to Kamenogorsk, 

 we found a large colony of Hirundo rufida, the only time we 

 met with the species during our voyage. 



Near Barnaul we secured Emberiza aureola, which was 

 very common, also Larus minutus. 



I hope to find time to send you a further report on the 

 birds observed during our voyage on the river Ob. At present 

 we have only spent two days on this magnificent stream. I 

 can only say that hitherto I have seen comparatively few birds ; 

 but the river is flooded. The extensive woods which border 

 the river doubtless support a large amount of animal life ; 

 but we see little from the deck of our steamer. 



