330 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



were some Meadow Pipits, Chaffinches, and a big flock of Sparrows 

 about Samree, the first-named on a bit of pasture-land. To my 

 great surprise I found a fine old male Black Redstart, sitting on 

 the rough projecting stones under the eaves of a little farmhouse, 

 and singing his bright little clear song. The strain was a little 

 shorter than that heard in the Alps in June, and was only de- 

 livered occasionally, as the bird sat sheltered from the cold wind ; 

 but it was a bright little song for all that, and quite characteristic. 

 The autumn song of the Black Redstart was new to me, but, as 

 will be seen, I afterwards found the birds singing daily down at 

 La Roche. The interesting point to-day was finding an in- 

 dividual staying so late in the season in this elevated and exposed 

 spot. We walked down by a path through the forest without 

 seeing more birds, the birch-woods being as quiet as they usually 

 are. There are wild Boars, Roe Deer, and a few Red Deer in 

 these forests, but they are only to be found in the most out-of- 

 the-way parts by experienced local chasseurs. One, if not two, 

 Black Redstarts singing about the rocks near the chateau of La 

 Roche when we got back. 



Oct. 10th. Drove to Nisramont, steadily uphill through 

 woods. Then walked through some rather open scrub and 

 heather (where was a chasseur in pursuit of a hare, so much 

 excited, as his dog was giving tongue, that he could hardly reply 

 to our enquiry whether he had shot anything), and down to the 

 Ourthe at La Herou. There is a beautiful reach of clear rippling 

 river here ; on the opposite bank the rocks rise high, precipitous, 

 and rugged, partly clothed with birch, scrub-oak, rowan, &c. A 

 Buzzard was wheeling overhead, a Green Woodpecker flitted 

 from tree to tree on the further bank, and we disturbed a party 

 of Ring Ouzels at some rowans, one of which, perched sentinel- 

 like on a bare branch, uttered its loud tac-tac-tac-tac, and they 

 made off. Song Thrushes were pretty numerous. A little party 

 of House Martins, the first we had seen since leaving those at 

 Hotton behind, were, I believe, travellers. A few which we saw 

 on arriving at La Roche in the late afternoon were perhaps the 

 same individuals moving down the river valley. We saw no 

 more of them. 



Oct. 11th. Cold wind again. We walked along a sunny 

 sheltered terraced road above the river towards Mobage, and 

 saw, chiefly in and near some little gardens, about twenty Black 



