9 
oO 
arriving in the southern parts of the country in the first days of April, sometimes even as early 
as the end of March. In a few isolated instances it has been found wintering in Norway.” 
Its distribution in Sweden is peculiar ; for Mr. Meves writes to me that ‘it is a most curious 
fact that in Southern Sweden it is only observed during migration, and, according to Nilsson, 
occasionally in the winter, whereas in Germany, even in the flat country in Brunswick, it is 
common, and numbers breed in the gardens. The most southern locality from which I have 
Swedish-taken eggs is Skara; near Stockholm it is only observed during migration, and is a rare 
bird, being only occasionally captured by the bird-catchers; but it has been found breeding near 
Gefle by Dr. Hartman ; and I observed it commonly in Jemtland and Herjeadalen, and saw young 
birds, just able to fly, on the 24th of July. We obtained specimens from Quickjock; and 
Lowenhjelm states that it is found, but is not numerous, in Lulea-Lapland, where he observed it 
in the month of August.” 
In Finland it is occasionally observed in Nyland during migration; and Von Wright saw a 
pair near Haminanlaks in July 1837, which certainly had a nest in the neighbourhood, but it 
could not be found. I never saw it during my stay in Finland. It occurs in Northern Russia ; 
and Mr. Meves informs me that he “met with it here and there near the Onega and Ladoga 
lakes, and at Kargopol;” and when in Eastern Russia he ‘“ observed it commonly from the 25rd 
to the 26th of June, on the steep banks covered with conifer growth (probably old river-banks) 
near the town of Perm. The males were in full song, and were generally met with sitting on 
the top of a fir bush, but at the least approach of danger dropped into the underbrush, and slipped 
quietly away, and recommenced singing some distance off. In the Ural I only observed it on a 
few occasions; but, according to Sabandeff, it is tolerably common there also.” 
Borggreve writes that it is a common resident and partial migrant in all the mountains of 
Northern Germany, as also in the flat country in the North-western portion. He further states 
that it rarely breeds in the north-eastern portion of the country; but, on the other hand, Mr. A. 
von Homeyer states that he has found it breeding quite commonly in the Barnckow-Quitziner 
forest at Grimmen, near Stralsund. ‘Though formerly, as I am informed by Mr. J. C. H. Fischer, 
a tolerably common bird in Denmark, it has lately become very scarce; and whereas about ten 
years ago it used to breed near Copenhagen, at Holte, it is now but rarely seen. In Holland 
and Belgium it is common, and resident; and Messrs. Degland and Gerbe likewise record it as 
numerous throughout France, where its provincial name is ‘‘ Zraine-buisson.” In Provence it is, 
Messrs. Jaubert and Barthélemy-Lapommeraye write, common in the autumn and winter, but 
retires to the Alps during the breeding-season. In Portugal it isa rare bird. Professor Barboza 
du Bocage includes it in his list of the birds of that country, without, however, giving it a 
Portuguese name; and Dr. E. Rey informs me that during his sojourn in Portugal he only once 
saw it. It is, however, not uncommon in Spain; Lord Lilford, writing respecting his collecting- 
trip to the Sierras from San Ildefonso in the month of June, says:—‘ I was surprised to find the 
Common Hedge-Sparrow (Accentor modularis) in great abundance high up on the mountains, 
haunting and breeding amongst the scrub which crops up amongst the detritus and scattered 
boulders below the crags, in just the sort of locality I should have expected to find A. alpinus, 
which species, however, I did not here meet with.” From Southern Spain Mr. Howard Saunders 
records it as being tolerably common in winter; but he believes that it goes north to breed. 
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