478 D: MADARÁSZ 
Warbler (Sylvia orpheus) when, he found the bird suspended on a branch 
provided with sharp thorns of the Paliurus aculeatus plant. After close 
examination it appeared, that the bird had been killing himself probably 
by entangling himself in the thorns and ripping the skin of his throat, 
besides having twisted twice round the branch in his struggle. The death 
might have set in about four days ago, the bird however appeared to be 
still fit for preparation and therefore we preserved in the same hanging 
position in which it died on the thorn (See figure in the hung. text.) As 
natural, dove-shooting was at once ceased and we immediately started in 
search of the home of the Chat. Hardly had we left Povile, as we caught 
sight of two pairs among the masses of stone-heaps and had considerable 
trouble in getting them among the rasor-sharp rocks. At last I succeeded in 
bringing down a fine male specimen. 
On the following day I set out on foot on the road leading from Novi 
to Povile and already mid-way the Eastern Black-throated Chats appeared, 
but were so cunning and cautious that none could be got within shot. 
Whilst I climed with considerable trouble the rocky height, the bird was 
wageing his tail again on some rock in the depth. Once when out without 
a gun I succeeded to approache the Chats. About thirty yards from me a 
female alighted on the road and not long after the male came down. But 
it seems that they did not feel quite safe, because they soon perched on a 
fig-tree at the road-side, whence they settled after a few minutes with a 
graceful and buttertly-like flight on the edge of one of the rocks bordering 
the road. Here the female began to flap her wings like a flycatcher does 
and to erect every now and then her spreadout tail. The male behaved in 
the same manner and kept on bowing before the female. But all at once, 
like on a sign, they quieted and then as if informing eachother of a coming 
danger, they moved in the next moment to the top of the stone-wall, where 
the male appeared only as a little white spot, when he turned round his 
mate and his movements were rather to be guessed, than to be seen. 
However they did not remain a long time on the height, but disappeared 
after a short time in the rocky back-ground. Not very far from the men- 
tioned place I found also three females in a group, courted by males. 
It happened on the same day, that in advancing on the road, at a 
sudden turn of it, a male Chat flashed up before my eyes, and was shot in 
the same moment; to my great surprise it turned out to be the Black- 
eared Chat (Saxicola aurita, ''eww.). Later it became evident, that the 
Black eared Chat is as common in the Hungarian Littoral as the 
Eastern one. 
Before writing this article, I found it necessary to take a look at the 
Museum of Zágráb, where the avifauna of the Littoral is richly represen- 
