522 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke on the 



covered. Here even this was denied us, for the forests were 

 under deep snow, and the several expeditions, carried out 

 under most laborious conditions, cannot be regarded as far 

 removed from failures, for our chief finds were the breeding 

 of the Carrion Crow and the Ring Dove — more Pyrenean 

 summer rarities — while the recording of the altitudinal range 

 of various common species, including the Robin, the Cuckoo, 

 the Creeper, Chaffinch, and Coal Titmouse, in the snow-clad 

 pine-forest above 5000 feet may, perhaps, be considered use- 

 ful work. 



A day was spent at Tarascon, seventeen miles below Ax, 

 where the valley proved to be under high cultivation, orchards 

 and vineyards occupying the lower lands, followed by rich 

 meadows. Here several species were more numerously repre- 

 sented than at Ax, but nothing worthy of note was observed. 



Two visits were paid to the uppermost portion of the valley 

 of the Ariege. Above Ax the valley narrows considerably, and 

 before the village of Merens is reached the mountains close 

 in and form a short but narrow gorge with towering cliffs, 

 aflfording just sufficient room for the river and the road. Just 

 beyond this, and north of the village, the road passes under a 

 stupendous precipice. Here we first made the acquaintance of 

 the Crag Martin, which found many suitable nesting-sites 

 in the numerous recesses in its rocky face. A few Choughs 

 and Falcons were also observed here, and far above its pine- 

 clad and snowy summit soared several large Eagles. Above 

 Merens the valley becomes more uninteresting. Trees be- 

 come scarce, the mountain-sides are strewn with innumerable 

 boulders, and bird-life becomes poorly represented. The 

 Jay, however, ascends the valley thus far, and here the 

 Wheatear was first seen. At the head of this valley or basin, 

 the great dividing mountains gather closely around the last 

 village of France, Hospitalet, a really miserable place, situated, 

 as it were, on the very verge of the possibility of human exis- 

 tence. Over 4600 feet above the sea, overshadowed on the 

 south, east, and west by peaks or ridges never free from snow, 

 and open only to the north, Hospitalet presents a sort of frost- 

 bitten appearance which is difficult to describe. On the 19th 



