lOI 



air and liouses outside at any rate. Two of these were 

 on the Palatine Hill, and we had never before seen 

 such magnificent white ear-coverts. 



In the small but fashionable park, the Pincio, we 

 observed a pair of Blackcaps and an occasional Black- 

 bird. In the Colosseum and other ruins, Wrens sang 

 gaily on every side, creeping round the old walls in 

 busy search for food. Standing in the middle of the 

 Colosseum I heard as many as four singing at the same 

 time in different parts. Jackdaws also made their 

 home in its walls. 



A long day out on the Alban Mountains, above 

 Frascati, about twenty miles from Rome, where vege- 

 tation was also very late, scarcely any of the trees 

 being in leaf, revealed the notes of the Wryneck, 

 Bullfinch, Greenfinch and ChifFchaff, but only just one 

 of each. Kven Tits were conspicuous by their absence. 

 A few Nightingales were just beginning to sing. 



One ideal, cloudless day, we made an expedition 

 to Hadrian's Villa and Tivoli. Taking our afternoon 

 coffee at an open-air restaurant whence one looked 

 ,sheer down on the magnificent gorge and cascade, we 

 had a splendid view of the two species of birds which in- 

 habit its recesses, namely Rock Pigeons and Jackdaws, 

 of which the latter were by far the most numerous. 



We were much struck by the beautiful appearance 

 of these Jackdaws in their spring breeding plumage. 

 The grey at the back of the head had become in many 

 birds a pure white gradually shading into a grey 

 mantle, but above, sharply bounded by a jet black cap. 

 Owing to our position above them as they flew about 

 or settled on trees and rocks we had a most excellent 



