56 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES IN FRANCE AND 



SWITZERLAND. 



By Hugh A. Macpherson. 



Rambling through Paris on June 21st, I came across three 

 young Golden Orioles in a little dark bird-shop. I bought one, 

 and a Wryneck, a Redstart nestling (with a white patch on its 

 occiput), and a young Hoopoe. Tereus escaped, however, from 

 my hand, squeezed through the interstices of a Venetian blind, 

 and strutted up and down the hotel roof, where after a wild chase 

 I left him. The Oriole refused to eat that night. At 4.30 on 

 July 23rd he was clamorous, though covered up. The three 

 nestlings at first slept together, huddling close to one another for 

 warmth. Not being able to procure proper food for the Wryneck, 

 I let him go (for he was well fledged), in a copse. Occasionally 

 the young Oriole appealed piteously to the Redstart to feed him, 

 especially when the latter was perched overhead. Both birds 

 were interested when a fly approached the cage, though "loriot " 

 was very young. It was interesting to see the feather tracts 

 gradually expanding. The little Redstart soon fed himself, and 

 was on the qui vive for food throughout the day, beginning about 

 3 a.m. The Oriole was latterly contented to wait until 6 or 7. 

 On June 24th the Oriole would probably have left the nest, as the 

 form of excrement changed. On June 24th he took several little 

 flits in my bedroom ; when I spoke to him he flew on to my 

 shoulder, and fluttering up to my face, clamoured literally at my 

 mouth for food. On June 27th his body, bare under the wings 

 and on the neck on June 21st, was well covered ; his tail, only 

 sprouting on June 21st, was now well developed. His cry was a 

 " chewit " or "pewit," piercing when he thought himself forgotten. 

 When he received a morsel, he gave a little jubilant cry of 

 pleasure, followed by the usual note, and mouth opened for a 

 second morsel. I compared its expression on receiving food to 

 the word " wethery-wethery." When bidden sternly to sleep, he 

 sobbed himself gradually off, the " chewit " growing lower and 

 lower, until he was fast asleep. His happiest moments were 

 passed on my shoulders, to which he alwa}"s essayed to ascend. 

 Knowing my voice so well, he always called for food when he 

 heard it : my sister feeding him when I was unable to do so, he 



