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instance of its occurrence in Denmark, though Kjserbolling states that in some seasons it has 

 been found as far north as Schleswig and Holstein. Naumann says that it straggles but rarely 

 to Germany, and that several were seen and killed at Brunsbiittel, in Southern Dittmarschem in 

 the summer of 1824, and that a young bird in a hungered condition was shot on the Schlei, in 

 Schleswig, on the 16th December, 1822, the thermometer being then 5° Reaumur below freezing- 

 point. It does not appear to have been met with in Holland or Belgium ; and in France it 

 occurs as a rare straggler, except in the southern provinces. Baillon is said to have obtained it 

 in Picardy ; and a few pairs still breed in the Camargue. M. A. Lacroix says that it is rare in 

 the French Pyrenees, and he only knows of one occurrence, near Braqueville, south of Toulouse, 

 on the 16th April, 1872. Professor Barboza du Bocage includes it in his list of the birds of 

 Portugal ; and in Spain it is common during the breeding-season. I met with it near Barcelona 

 and Valencia in May ; and Lord Lilford, Colonel Irby, and Mr. Howard Saunders all agree in 

 stating that it breeds numerously in the marismas. Colonel Irby remarks that it is seen near 

 Gibraltar only on migration, arriving about the middle of April, and soon passing on to its 

 breeding-haunts. In Italy it seems rare, although one specimen at least has been obtained at 

 one time or another in nearly every province, always in the spring of the year. There is a 

 Sicilian-killed specimen in the Museum of Syracuse ; and another has recently been obtained at 

 Girgenti ; but it has not been recorded from Sardinia. Mr. C. A. Wright has sent to me for 

 examination several specimens obtained in Malta, where it occurs, he says, in the spring, summer, 

 and autumn, but is not common. It straggles to Southern Germany ; and Dr. A. Fritsch states 

 (J. f. O. 1872, p. 373) that it breeds at Pardubic. It is common in the marshes of Hungary; 

 and Messrs. Danford and Harvie-Brown say that in Transylvania several were killed in the Strell 

 valley in June 1863, and that Herr Buda Adam has shot it near Hatzeg. Dr. O. Finsch states 

 that it is somewhat rare on the Danube ; and Dr. Kriiper says that it arrives in Greece about 

 the middle of April, and soon moves further north. He adds that he is unaware if any remain 

 to breed ; but it certainly does not breed on the lagoons of Missolonghi. Von der Miihle, 

 however, states that it breeds in considerable numbers in some of the marshes of Greece, but 

 that he did not obtain its eggs ; and Lord Lilford says that it breeds in the marshes of Durazzo. 

 It is found in Turkey and the countries skirting the Black Sea. In Southern Russia it is very 

 generally distributed, and is common on the Lower Volga. According to Professor von Nordmann 

 it is abundant in Bessarabia and in the interior of the other South-Russian provinces, remaining 

 in its breeding-haunts until October. In Asia Minor it was met with near Smyrna by Dr. Kriiper, 

 who remarks that it does not remain to breed there ; but Canon Tristram says that it breeds in 

 the marshes of Huleh, in Palestine. In North-east Africa it is common, and is, Captain Shelley 

 writes (B. of Egypt, p. 301), " a very abundant species on the Nile, ranging throughout Egypt 

 and Nubia. I met with small flocks on several occasions as far up as El Kab, and on the 1st of 

 May shot several at How. In the Delta and the Fayoom they are extremely abundant, and by 

 no means shy, often flitting gracefully backwards and forwards over the small ponds close to the 

 villages." Von Heuglin says that it is common throughout the year in Egypt and Nubia, and 

 doubtless breeds there. In December he obtained one on the Upper Bahr-el-Abiad, and another 

 on the Gazelle River in February. Loche records it as common in Algeria ; and Mr. A. von 

 Homeyer states that it is certainly one of the most numerous species on Lake Halloula ; but 



