Avifauna of the Eastern Pyrenees. 549 



7Q. CUCULUS CANORUS, L. 



Andorra. — Not common, a few being observed in the pine- 

 forest above Escaldas from 5000 to 5800 feet. A Cuckoo 

 was also seen in the valley at Canillo, 5100 feet. 



Upper Ar'iege. — Fairly common in the valley at Ax, and 

 ranges up to 5000 feet in the pines among the snow. 



77. Syrnium aluco (L.). 



Upper Ariege. — A Tawny Owl was put out of her nesting- 

 hole (containing three eggs) in a large beech on the moun- 

 tain west at Ax, at 4600 feet, on the 13th of May. 



78. Scops giu (Scop.). 



Andorra. — The unmistakable note of a Scops O^vl was 

 heard at Escaldas on the evening of the 21st of May. 



Upper Ariege. — A pair of these birds had taken up their 

 summer residence in the tall beech-trees which form a 

 remarkable feature in the town of Ax, whence they paid 

 visits to our hotel garden in pursuit of insects. A female, 

 shot on the 25th, had the crop full of insect-remains, chiefly 

 coleopterous, among which those of a Melolontha predomi- 

 nated. At Tarascon one was observed sitting in a poplar by 

 the river-side. At first it gazed at us in surprise ; but 

 imagining that it had escaped detection, it drew itself up into 

 almost rod-like dimensions, and pressed its body as close as 

 possible against the bole of the tree, hoping in this way to 

 remain unseen. 



79. Circus ^RUGiNosus (L.). 



Mediterranean Region. — Once or twice the Marsh Harrier 

 was seen hunting over the downs near to the marshy ground 

 between the embouchures of the Tech and the small river 

 south of it. 



80. Circus cineraceus (Mont.) . 



A pair of small Harriers was seen on the downs, adjoining 

 the sea, at Canet, on the 31st of May, the female being seen 

 at fairly close quarters. At the time they were considered 

 to be Montagu's Harriers, and this was probably the case ; 

 though M. Lacroix says of the species, " ne niche pas,^' while 

 of Circus swainsoni, a very unlikely species to meet with 

 so far west, this author remarks " niche accidentellement.'' 



