The Zoologist — February, 1871. 2467 



Strange to say, 1 did not find any crested larks among the heaps 

 of small birds in the markets, but in many parts of Germany 1 had 

 the pleasure of watching their habits when alive; and, as far as 

 I could observe, they preferred alighting on roads, lanes and 

 quays to the open fields, and that when on the wing they might 

 be readily known by their ample wings and short tails, giving them 

 the appearance of very large wood larks. I have somewhere seen 

 it remarked that the crest of the crested lark is always erect, dead 

 or alive ; but I found this nut to be correct, as I saw some with 

 their crests depressed, and, as it were, sticking out at the back of 

 the head. 



On the 20th of October I observed swallows crossing the Rhine, 

 and many on the 21st flying round a church at Worms; and on 

 the 6th of November a large flock of house martins flying across 

 the valley between the snowy mountains at Inspruck, in the 

 direction of Italy. 



I observed the water ouzel as high as the top of the Brenner 

 Pass and at Inspruck. The Swiss variety of this species has the 

 under parts below the white breast of a rusty black, instead of the 

 more decided chestnut colour on English specimens. 



Inside the beautiful Public Gardens at Milan there is an aviary, 

 a division of which contained full thirty mountain finches and 

 chaflinches, all varieties, more or less variegated with white and 

 yellow, some of which were very curious and beautiful. In Milan, 

 too, I was most kindly allowed to visit Count Turati's private 

 museum, which, among countless rarities, contained the finest 

 great auk I had ever seen. Indeed I had no idea of there being 

 such a magnificent private collection in Europe. 



Passing through France and Germany, of course I could not 

 resist going out of my way to see the effect produced by bombard- 

 ment during the present dreadful war; and on entering Strasbourg 

 1 recollected having been told that there was an account given in 

 one of the London papers of a collection of stuffed birds having 

 been destroyed, and that the remains of the birds formed a sight of 

 the most extraordinary description. Now I was determined, if 

 possible, to find out the house (or rather what remained of it) in 

 which this took place, and after a search of an hour succeeded ; 

 and I am sorry to say found the account fully verified, for a more 

 extraordinary and melancholy sight I never beheld. The house is 

 a mere ruin, perfectly riddled by shot and shell; and amongst the 



