The Zoologist — August, 1868. 1815 



and may often be observed climbing the rough walls of houses in a way 

 that reminds one of the creeper. The robin is decidedly a rare bird 

 in most parts of Germany (I only saw one this May), and the " haus- 

 rothschwantzchen" or black redstart takes his place, to some extent, 

 as a popular pet and favourite. As in this country, the nightingale 

 appears to be somewhat capricious in its local distribution in Germany, 

 very abundant near Baden Baden and Achern ; it is quite unknown at 

 Freiburg, although the country and climate are much the same. The 

 sky lark, however, is very plentiful among the rich level meadows. 

 I was surprised to see and hear so very few titmice in the great pine 

 forests; several species, however, occur there, including the crested 

 titmouse. The golden oriole and the hoopoe are also regular visitors 

 to the Black Forest, although I met with none on the present occasion. 

 Carrion crows are often seen, but the rook appears to be scarce. 

 Magpies and jays, on the other hand, abound, as in most parts of 

 Germany and France, and are singularly bold and impudent. 



The capercaillie is not uncommon in many of the forests, and the 

 male is often shot with a rifle in spring while " playing," the stalking 

 of the bird at that time being considered a masterpiece of woodcraft. 

 The black grouse is also found, and in some districts the rarer hazel 

 grouse (Tetrao bonasia), while the cultivated grouse is inhabited by 

 the common partridge and the quail. 



Of the waders the most conspicuous bird to the traveller is, of course 

 the stork: the birds are more abundant in Strasburg than in any other 

 town I have visited, but the place in which I have seen them in most 

 numbers is the Luneburger Heide, a great heathy or moorland tract in 

 Hanover, where I have counted twenty-five in one field. At Achern 

 I saw a stork's nest built in a tall poplar tree : this, however, is con- 

 sidered a great rarity. The clattering of this bird's bill is a very 

 singular sound, and is sometimes strangely mingled with the cries of 

 the live frogs, which they carry to their nests. Often the stork sails 

 round and round in wide circles, almost as motionless as the albatross : 

 a German friend assures me that he has watched one for several 

 minutes without being able to detect the slightest movement of the 

 wing. As already observed, the woodcock passes over this part of 

 Germany in spring and autumn, and doubtless many other waders 

 occur in suitable places. 



Of water-fowl, wild geese and ducks occur on the rivers, but of what 

 species I cannot say. I observed a blackheaded gull circling over 

 the innumerable islets of the Rhine between Freiburg and Basle, at a 



