31 



13 



They were frequently to be met with upon the ground among heather, where at all times they 

 were easily approached, but more particularly in rainy or misty weather, when, their plumage 

 becoming saturated with moisture and rendering them too heavy for a long flight, many were 

 stoned to death by boys. Those in the garden fed largely upon the seeds of the mountain-ash, 

 which they broke open the berries to procure, sometimes dropping a whole cluster upon the 

 ground, and descending to feed, but more frequently breaking the berries to pieces as they hung 

 upon the trees. But even in the garden they did not confine themselves to the trees ; at one 

 time they might be seen busily searching amongst moss and dead leaves, at another in the midst 

 of a tuft of coarse weeds, and, again, intently examining the spiders' webs upon the walls. It was 

 quite a common occurrence to see them in the open meadows scattering aside the horse-dung 

 with their bills, and thus procuring abundant supplies of worms and grubs." 



The eggs of this bird measure from l^g- by f-jj inch to 1^ by ff , and are pure glossy white 

 in colour. In shape they are oval, tapering rather to the smaller end. Dr. E. Rey gives the 

 average size, judging from a series of eighty-three eggs, as 25 • 7 millims. by 17*6 millims. 



The descriptions and figures of the adult birds have been taken from a pair in our collection, 

 from Sweden, the young one being also in our own possession, from the neighbourhood of 

 London. We may add that we have lately shown Mr. Gurney's Shetland example to Mr. Gould, 

 and, like ourselves, he is unable to identify it with P. major, but inclines to think it is P. leuconotus 

 in some stage of plumage. 



In the preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. Sharpe and Dresser. 



a, b. Hampstead, June 1871 (Burton), c. Hampstead, September 1870 (Davy), d, e. France (Fairmaire). 

 f, g. Denmark (A. Benzori). g, h. d, ?. Wermland, 1869 (Meves). i,j. Sweden (H. Wheelwright), 

 k, I. Piedmont (Salvadori) . m, n. Crimea (Whitely). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 

 a, b. Hampstead (Spencer), c. Gibraltar (L. H. Irby). d, e. Turkey (T. Robson). 



E Mus. Lord Lilford. 

 a, b. San Ildefonso, Spain (L.). c, d, e. Sweden (Wheelwright). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 



a. Morehead, Devon (H. B. T.). b. Greatham, Durham, October 21st, 1863 (/. H. Gurney). c, d. San 

 Ildefonso, Spain (Lord Lilford). e. Broussa, Asia Minor, February 8th, 1866 (T. Robson). 



E Mus. J. H. Gurney, jun. 



a, b. Easton, Norfolk, June 18th, 1870 (Gunn). c. Keswick, Norfolk, March 28th, 1867 (Anness). d. Hing- 

 ham, Norfolk, December 14th, 1867 (Gunn). e. Norwich, January 12th, 1868 (Gunn). f. Cambridge- 

 shire (Baker), g. Cambridgeshire (Leadenhall Market), h. Halligarth, Shetland, September 1861 

 (Saxby). i. Dunse, Scotland. 



E Mus. A. B. Brooke, 

 a, b. Sardinia, April 21st and May 17th, 1871 (A. B. B.). 



