2508 The Zoologist — March, 1871. 



Bramblings [Fringilla montifringilla, L.) must also have been 

 plentiful, judging from the number in the Metz mavliet. 



On the 14th of January I saw a greater spotted woodpecker 

 {Pic us major, L.), which had been "limed;" and on the 30th a 

 gray-headed one [Picus camis, L.) ; its eyes were red. At the 

 village of Laquencxy I saw a small fruit tree, from the upper part 

 of which the bark had been literally stripped in shreds, which 

 shreds were lying on the ground beneath it. On close examination 

 it appeared that this had been done by a bird, and in all probability 

 by a woodpecker. 



I had expected to find the French, or red-legged, partridge 

 pretty common in Lorraine ; but it appears to be exceedingly 

 rare there. On the other hand I often saw a small covey of the 

 gray species {PerclLv cinerea, Lath.), and was informed that during 

 the fighting they were so alarmed by the firing as to allow 

 themselves to be caught by the soldiers. 



Another bird worth mentioning, which came once under my 

 notice, was the gelinotte or hazel-grouse ; and with a fine pair of 

 hooper swans, killed at Aubone, concludes my list. 



Mr. Gatcombe has ofiored some interesting remarks on the 

 museum at Milan ; and I shall pass on to say something about 

 that at Metz. The great auk {Alca iinpennin) is very badly 

 stuffed, and not in by any means good condition : the back is 

 covered with mould (its value is not known, and c6nsequently 

 no care is taken of it) ; the head has been badly chafed by the 

 shelf above it; but I do not say that it might not be made a good 

 specimen by judicious re-stuffing. It bears an inscription in the 

 hand-writing of Malhcrbe : but he was not the donor, nor could I 

 ascertain who had presented it, though 1 made particular inquiries 

 of many persons. It is, of course, in summer plumage (' Ibis,' 

 April, 1870, p. 258). 



Mr. Gatcombe slates that a sand grouse {Syrrltapies paradoxus) 

 was killed near Lucerne during the past summer, which appears to 

 me very interesting, when taken in connexion with the fact that 

 there are two in the Metz museum, labelled "June, 1866." If 

 both these dates are right it is very remarkable, but I fear there is 

 too much probability of an error. The person who stuffed the 

 Metz specimens — M. Buchillot — informed me that they were shot 

 from a boat. They were so tame at first, and so near together, that 

 the fisherman thought to take them with a casting-net, but they 



