ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 553 



On the 19th I noticed in the same place the first Pied 

 Flycatcher (Muscicapa atricapilla). 



I must also mention as a remarkable fact that the Martin, 

 which used to be so common in the neighbourheod of Prague, 

 is this year very rare ; the first came very late, and they are, 

 up to the present time, quite sparingly distributed. The Red- 

 backed Shrike is also much less abundant than in former 

 years. I certainly see a few every day, but in places where 

 several pairs used to live close together there are now only 

 one or two individuals at the most. 



In one of the gardens inside Prague that I have so often 

 mentioned in my previous paper a pair of Turtle-Doves have 

 now established themselves ; and there I also observed the 

 Great Tit (Par us major) and the Long-tailed Tit (Acredula 

 caudata) at their nests. 



On the 22nd I found a nest of the Reed-Warbler (Acro- 

 cephalus arnndinaceus) , with five eggs, in a low willow-bush 

 on the bank of the river Beraun, and near the town of the 

 same name. 



On the 24th I came across several pairs of the Common 

 Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) at their nests on the little 

 islands in the same locality that are covered with willows ; and 

 I also saw a couple of Stonechats (Pratincola rubicola) on a 

 meadow surrounded by bushes, near the bank of the river. 

 This is by no means a common bird here. 



The late appearance of the Red-backed Shrike this year is 

 worthy of note. Some days ago I thought that it had chosen 

 another line of migration and had strayed away from its 

 usual haunts, for from the 16th to the 22nd of May I noticed 

 remarkably few ; but now fresh arrivals are showing them- 

 selves from day to day, and in all the localities upon which I 

 am able to keep a watchful eye the suitable spots will soon 

 be stocked with the usual number of these birds. 



