THE ALPINE ACCENTOR. 135 



When its breeding- grounds are covered with snow it descends into the valleys, 

 and in severe winters will sometimes wander further from home and be seen in 

 unwonted localities. Except, perhaps, when actually engaged in the duties of 

 nidification, it is a more or less gregarious bird." 



On the earth this bird both runs and hops, like the Hedge- Accentor ; it 

 certainly does not " drop its head and the fore part of its body suddenly, at 

 the same time jerking its tail and drooping its wings." It is an exceedingly 

 nervous bird, more so than the Hedge-Accentor. The call-note is described 

 variously as a plaintive tree, tree, tree, and tri, tri, tri : so far as I can trust my 

 memory it is tswee, tswee, tswee ; I am sure it is neither of the others, because no 

 bird but a talking species could utter such sounds. 



Seebohm describes the song as a rich liquid chick, ich, ich, ich ; but it is also 

 said to sing like a lark. 



Towards the end of May the nest is formed under a rock or bush upon the 

 earth ; it is a neatly constructed cup, consisting of dry round grass-stalks, inter- 

 woven with rootlets and lichens, and lined with fine moss, wool, hair, or feathers. 

 The eggs vary in number from four to five, and are pale turquoise blue in 

 colour. 



It has been stated that this species is double-brooded, the second nest being 

 constructed about the middle of July ; and, although there is no absolute proof of 

 this, it is exceedingly probable.* According to Count Wodzicki, it breeds in 

 colonies of from twenty to forty pairs, in which respect it differs very greatly from 

 the Hedge-Accentor. 



The food of this species in spring consists of insects, their larvae, and doubt- 

 less of spiders and centipedes, as is the case with all other insect-eating birds ; in 

 autumn it eats various small fruits, and in winter seeds of grasses and other 

 weeds. 



In Germany this species has been kept as a cage-bird, four examples having 

 been exhibited at the sixth show of the " Ornis" Society in Berlin. Herr Mathias 

 Rausch also remarks that " its song indeed is not specially full of variations, and 

 in its imitations is chiefly limited to the Crested-, Sky-, and Wood- Larks ; at the 

 same time it is of importance for aviculture, and therefore is gladly kept and 

 cherished by fanciers." 



This is all very well for those who only keep a bird in order to hear its song; 

 but it is infinitely more interesting to watch its habits, and to do this properly 

 the bird must be turned loose into an aviary. 



Knowing what I do of the sneaking spitefulness of the common Hedge- 



* It is well-known that the Hedge-Sparrow nests twice and sometimes three times a year. 



