IN TRANSYLVANIA. 569 



Ravens, while in the lower covers I found plenty of small 

 birds, all, however, belonging to common species. 



During my stay in Transylvania the great variations of the 

 weather produced rapid changes over the whole face of 

 nature. WhenJ arrived I found perfect summer, the heat 

 being almost unendurable, the trees quite green and in full 

 leaf. The fauna, too, belonged to that season, for Red-backed 

 Shrikes, Turtle-Doves, and Hoopoes were, as already stated, 

 still there, together with numbers of Swallows and Martins. 

 Three days later violent storms, followed by cold heavy rains, 

 changed the situation, for in an incredibly short time the 

 foliage assumed its autumnal colours, and the summer birds 

 vanished, being replaced by quantities of Woodcocks, Missel- 

 Thrushes, Fieldfares;, Song-Thrushes, Redwings, and Bull- 

 finches, that were driven down from the mountains by the 

 frost. In the lower woods I also observed whole flocks of 

 Tits, all belonging to the common species, a great many 

 Blackbirds, a few Nightjars, and such hordes of Jays, espe- 

 cially in the oak-copses, as I had never before seen. I also 

 found great flocks of Wood-Pigeons and Stock-Doves in the 

 magnificent forests of ancient oaks, which were further 

 frequented by a considerable number of Jackdaws. 



In the valley there were a good many small birds about the 

 gardens and roadsides, but they were all of the commonest 

 kinds, and I will only mention the abundance of Great Grey 

 Shrikes, the large flocks of Goldfinches, and the scarcity 

 of Magpies. In the south of Transylvania during the sum- 

 mer and in the Gorgeny valley during the autumn of last 

 year Magpies were numerous enough, as they usually are at 

 all seasons both in Transylvania and Hungary, but this year 

 there were hardly any of them here. The occurrence of the 

 Eagle-Owl down in the valley itself was also interesting, for in 

 the garden of the castle at Gorgeny, which is situated within 



