THE CASPIAN AREA 



in willow bushes near rivers, or some such places, on account of the absence of 

 taller trees The nest, which is nearly always placed in the neighbourhood of 

 water is a plain structure composed of dry twigs and stems, generally in a hole in 

 a tree' or in crevices in rocks or ruins. Sometimes this starling, which leaves its 

 home in August and returns in April, breeds in the countries to which it migrates in 

 immense numbers. In 1875 Germany and Switzerland were visited by flocks of 

 these birds : in the north German plain parties of thirty were noticed, and near 

 Villafranca in northern Italy at least 12,000 were seen. Arriving on the 3rd of 

 June, they settled on the walls of the fortress and the roofs of the adjacent houses, 

 and drove away the other starlings as well as swallows, sparrows, and pigeons. 

 On the 9th of June their nests contained eggs ; by the 12th of July all the young 

 were fledo-ed : and on the 14th of the same month they departed with their parents, 

 none returning the following year. 



(■^smmi^mm^mw^^Bit)^^^ 



pander's chough-thrush. 



One of the most characteristic birds of the Caspian area is 

 1 Pander's chough-thrush (Podoces pander i), a species about the size of 

 a starling, with a long, stout, pointed beak, short rounded wings, and moderately 

 long stout l<gs. Flying only when in danger, it commonly runs about on the sand 

 after the manner of a fowl. In summer it feeds principally on beetles, and in 

 winter on seeds. In colour it is delicate grey and pale pink above, with the throat 

 white, the lower part of the neck and tail black, a black patch on the lores, and 

 black and white win^s. 



Red-Footed Aim >ng the birds-of-prey, the red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) 



Falcon. j s nn inhabitant of the Caspian area and the corresponding latitudes 

 of eastern Europe and central Asia. In Europe it is found in Hungary, Poland, 

 and Russia, is very common in the Dobrudscha, and also occurs in Servia and 

 Rumania, but is less abundant in Galicia, east Prussia, and Silesia, and thence 

 westwards becomes rarer and rarer. In September and October it migrates, 



