64 Dr. O. Finsch's Ornithological Letters. 



Schtscliutsclija river. Einheriza pusilla we left behind some 

 stations above Obdorsk; but now we found Parus cinctus 

 j)lentiful^ and a Parus which I take to be P. camschatcensis or 

 P. borealis. Its cry and manners are nearly the same as 

 tliose of our P. palustris ; but besides it has a short but me- 

 lodious song. Between Obdorsk and Berezoff we first found 

 Sitta uralensis, which in general was very scarce^ and only 

 seen in pairs. Besides these^ Piciis tridactylus was shot, oc- 

 curring in willow- as well as in pine-woods ; Picus martins 

 was seen once ; Picus minor was the most common species 

 of Woodpecker. No Certhia ! FringiUa montifringiUa and 

 F. linaria, both moulting and with young, went in large flocks 

 and were to be met everywhere ; but we did not sec either 

 Corythus or Loxia. Corvus corax was often met ; but the 

 most common Crows were C. comix and Pica caudata, the 

 latter chiefly in villages where cattle are tended. Here often 

 twelve or fourteen assemble on the roof of a single house. At 

 Berezoff" I observed, for the first time on the Ob, a large 

 flock of Corvus frugilegus, apparently wandering ; and at the 

 village SucharoAvskaja, 120 versts down SamaroAva, we first 

 observed Corvus monedula and Parus major. Nucifraga ca- 

 ryocatactes was plentiful in the woods on the right Ijank. 

 No Garrulus ; but Perisoreus infaustus was sometimes ob- 

 tained. It feeds on berries, beetles, and mice. We did not 

 find Passer campestris at the village of Kuschowat, as the 

 species is only a summer visitor there ; but we found both 

 species at the town of Berezoff", and here, besides, Enibe^'iza 

 citrinella. This species, which we had not once seen when 

 going down the river, was now plentiful everywhere. Of 

 birds of prey we observed sometimes the Osprey and a few 

 Falcons [Falco subbuteo, and apparently a larger species, per- 

 haps F. gyrfalco). Of Owls, Count Zeil shot a fine spe- 

 cimen of Surnia nisoria, which we had observed a few times 

 previously. Once I saw a small Falco cBsalon being chased by 

 an Otus brackyotus. Having during our trip down the river 

 only once seen Tetrao bonasia, which I shot near the village 

 Malo Atlim, this species now was plentiful as soon as we 

 left Berezoff'. It is a most elegant bird, and although not 



