The Hasli-Thal. 109 



was as unwilling to use his gun so near the village, 

 as I should have been to sacrifice a joyous life to 

 the spirit of curiosity. But I have every reason 

 to believe that my little tormentors belonged to a 

 species with which I shall hope some day to make 

 a closer acquaintance ; it bears the name of the 

 Italian naturalist Bonelli, and is a very near 

 relation of our friends the Chiff-chaff and Willow- 

 wren (Phylloscopus Bonnellii, Vieill.). 1 



Our walk is now ended, and this chapter is 

 already quite long enough. Were we to take 

 another, we might see many other species not less 

 interesting than those we have met with on the 

 way from Stanz-stadt ; we might find Hawks of 

 several species, Nutcrackers in the pine-woods, 

 the Golden Oriole, the Hoopoe, or the beautiful 

 Blue-breast. But I have thought it better to be 

 content, for the most part, with the birds I have 



1 The closer acquaintance has been made, and I have learnt 

 the song of this bird, which is not unlike that of the Lesser 

 White-throat described in Chapter II. Of all the warblers I 

 know, this is the most restless and difficult to observe when 

 once the leaves are fully out. It is the only bird, I think, which 

 has completely baffled me during a whole morning spent in 

 pursuing the song without once getting a fair look at the singer. 

 (June, 1889.) 



