298 Mr. P. J. C. McGregor on Birds observed 



71. Emberiza hortulana L. Ortolan. 



Arrives between the 15th and 18th of April, and nests in 

 fair numbers in the vineyards. Seems to leave about the 

 first week in August. It is very quarrelsome. 



72. Emberiza cia L. Meadow -Bunting . 



Never seen in a meadow. As in Bulgaria, these birds 

 seem to prefer low bushes on dry hill-sides well sheltered 

 from the wind and they are very sluggish. In 1903, on 

 November 8th, I observed two at Smolevo, while others came 

 under my notice on the 15th and 24th of the same month 

 near the town. On February 22, 1904, I saw a pair at 

 St. Christopher. 



73. Emberiza schozniclus (L.). Reed-Bunting. 

 Abundant in the marshes in winter. It seems to have 



escaped my notice in summer, but is presumably resident. 



74. Alauda arvensis L. Skylark. 

 Fairly common throughout the year. 



75. Alauda arborea L. Woodlark. 



In 1903 I shot two on November 3, and in April of the 

 two following years I saw a few specimens. 



76. Alauda cristata L. Crested Lark. 



A common resident, frequenting the roads and open spaces 

 even in the town. On one occasion I heard a House-Sparrow 

 imitate the song of this bird so exactly that a Crested Lark 

 responded and the duet lasted for some time. 



77. Sturnus vulgaris L. Starling. 



Abundant. The Starlings frequent the town exclusively 

 during the nesting- season, taking up their quarters there to- 

 wards the middle of March. As soon as the young are able 

 to fly they are taken to feed on the mulberry-trees, and later 

 on into the water-meadows and kitchen-gardens. The winter 

 is spent in the plain and the marshes, where huge flights may 

 be met with till February. 



78. Pyrrhocorax alpinus Vieill. Alpine Chough. 



I observed a small colony among the crags on Peristeri in 

 July, 1904. 



