observed in Switzerland. 163 



in the valleys. The Stonechat {P. rubicola) has been obtained 

 by Mr. E. Grand d'Hauteville^ but it is very rare near Vevey. 



RuTiciLLA PHCENicuRUs (Linn.). 



The Common Redstart was first seen on April 14th^ and 

 was often noticed afterwards on Chaumont as well as lower 

 down, but it Avas not nearly so plentiful as the next species. 



RUTICILLA TITYS (Scopoli) . 



The first Black Redstart — a male — was seen near Lau- 

 sanne on April 12th, when sleet was falling, and on the 19th 

 both sexes were observed at an elevation of 3000 feet in the 

 Jura, where it was still bitterly cold. From the latter date 

 onwards this species was everywhere abundant, and there 

 were at least two nests, if not more, at the same time on 

 our hotel at Chaumont, one of these being under the roof of 

 the verandah, so that we could watch the process of feeding, 

 &c., at about eight feet above our heads ; the young were 

 hatched by May 23rd. On June 2nd I found a nest with 

 only four much incubated eggs in a shed on the wind-blown 

 summit of Chasseral (5280 feet), but six is the usual number. 

 The nest is a good-sized structure; and, Avhether on a ledge 

 under eaves or in a hole in the wall, it is always well out of 

 reach of cats, of which every cottage seems to possess at least 

 one. Two broods are usual, and three are not rare. In 

 autumn the latest date for the Black Redstart was October 

 29th, rmong the vineyards at Vevey. 



Cyanecida suecica I did not see alive, but it is a well-known 

 visitor. Most of the specimens in the St. -Gall Museum 

 have red on the breast, but a few are unspotted blue. 



Erithacus rubecula (Linu.). 



The Redbreast was a bird which we were always ex- 

 pecting to see on our walks about Lausanne, but perhaps we 

 looked for it too high, for only four or five were seen till well 

 on in March, and it never came to the food freely exposed 

 on our terrace. An unfinished nest was examined in the 

 main Jura in April, but I very rarely saw or heard the bird 

 on Chaumont, and the Black Redstart seems to take its place 

 on all the moderately high ground. It is, however, not 



