observed in Switzerland. 167 



that month the male was seen courting — spreading out his 

 tail to its fullest extent and displaying the white spots, throw- 

 ing somersaults, and performing other antics. On the 

 ground this species hops like a Finch, and when working its 

 way among the dead beech-leaves it might easily be mistaken 

 for the male of Fringilla ccelebs. 



Troglodytes parvulus, Koch. 



Some weeks passed before I could see a Wren near 

 Lausanne ; and in the Jura the bird did not seem to be 

 abundant. Its favourite places were timber-stacks in the 

 forests. It is, of course, generally distributed. 



Certhia familiaris, Linn. 



The Tree-Creeper manages to find a living during the 

 Swiss winter, and is rather plentiful. 



TlCHODROMA MURARIA (LiuU.). 



I was five minutes too late for a Wall-Creeper which had 

 been on the walls of the University at Lausanne on February 

 25th, 1890 ; but on February 3rd, 1891, I had an excellent 

 view of one at St. Maurice, above the frozen Rhone. Fine 

 groups, brilliant in colour, are in the Museums of St. Gall, 

 Berne, &c., and in private collections ; in fact, there is 

 reason to fear that this species is being overcollected. 

 In the young bird the throat is of the same grey colour as 

 the shoulders : not white, as in the winter plumage of the 

 adult. Mr. Nicoud tells me that this species visits the cliffs 

 of Doubs in March. 



MoTACiLLA ALBA, Linn. 



First seen on the newly irrigated ground during a slight 

 thaw on 25th February, 1890; generally distributed, and 

 nested on the hotel at Chaumont. 



MOTACILLA MELANOPE, Pallas. 



The Grey Wagtail is a resident on Lake Leman, ascending 

 in spring ; the first pair was seen on a rocky stream above 

 Lausanne on April 6th. In the Jura it is found wherever 

 there is water ; and as a pair had a nest in the wall of the 

 picturesque old castle at Valagin, above Neuchatel, on June 

 28th. there must be two broods in the season. 



