58 Dr. Henry Giglioli on the Birds observed at Pisa 



is heard in every field ; and later in the spring, the marshes teem 

 with Cynchramus schceniclus, while that most interesting and 

 anomalous Bunting, the C. palustris, is by no means uncommon 

 in the same situations : its bill resembles mostly in shape that 

 of the PyrrhulcB, which character isolates it from all other Em- 

 herisce ; while in size and colour it is curiously like the common 

 Reed-Bunting, with which it was long confounded. It certainly 

 deserves to be considered as the type of a subgenus, if not of a 

 genus ; and as no one seems to have anticipated me, 1 propose 

 the generic name of Pyrrhulorhyncha, — being at the same time 

 ready to withdraw it, if any one has had the priority over me : 

 thus it will stand as Pyrrhulorhyncha palustris. Buscarla leshia 

 (with which may rank as synonym the E. durazzii of Bonaparte) 

 is said never to occur here ; but I saw several in February, feeding 

 in a field among other Buntings. The Ortolan {Glycyspiza hortu- 

 lana) appears in great numbers in the spring, enlivening the 

 country around with its pleasing song. 



Among the Larks, Alauda arvensis, Galerida cristata, and Lul- 

 lula arborea abound during winter ; while in spring large flocks 

 of the Calandrella brachydactyla appear, especially along the sea- 

 shore near the Gombo. Melanocorypha calandra is a constant 

 resident, but not very common in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of Pisa; and during January two specimens of the Shore-Lark 

 {Otocorys alpestris) found their way to the Pisan market. The 

 two varieties of the Bullfinch (Pyrrhula vulgaris) are abundant, 

 but only during the winter. 



The species of Woodpeckers I have observed are few. I found 

 Dryobates major and D. minor pretty common ; while the pine- 

 forest called the Tombolo, which extends from here to Leghorn, 

 resounds with the loud cry of the Green Woodpecker {Gecinus 

 viridis) . Yuncc torquilla abounds, and remains here even during 

 the winter, for I procured specimens in January and February. 

 Cuculus canorus is rather scarce ; it arrives at the end of April : 

 I saw the first one, this year, on the 29th of that month. Ac- 

 cording to Savi, Coccystes glandarius has actually bred in the 

 woods ai'ound Pisa ; but I think its occurrence here quite acci- 

 dental. 



The only Columbce 1 have seen about these parts are the Ring- 



