Birds. 1115 



Red-footed falcon, Falco rujipes. Falco vespertinus, (Gmel.) Fau- 

 con a pieds rouges, {Temm.) Appears but rarely. In November, 1821, 

 many were killed in Provence, according to M. Pellicot; in 1839, a 

 few were observed. 



Jackdaw, Corvus Monedida. Le Choucas, {Temm). It occasion- 

 ally descends to the shore, but only during severe cold. It is very 

 common in our subalpine mountains during winter. 



Chough, Corvus graculus. Pyrrhocorax Coracias, [Temm.) Same 

 observation as the former. 



Roller, Coracias garrula. Rollier vulgaire, [Temm.) Arrives ge- 

 nerally in April and departs in October. It is always solitary, and 

 conceals itself in the woods. 



Rose-coloured Pastor, Pastor roseus. Martin roselin, [Temm.) This 

 beautiful bird is sometimes seen in Provence. In the autumn of 1817 

 many were observed; in 1837, at the end of May and June, some 

 were seen, and always in flocks : they sought the large trees on the 

 banks of the brooks, were fond of cherries, and might be easily ap- 

 proached. (See ' Report of the Society of Science in the department 

 of Var.') 



Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra. Bee croise commun, 

 {Temm.) In Provencal, Be touar. This bird is one of the first that 

 arrives here from the north. It is at the end of June and the begin- 

 ning of July that the migration takes place. They are not seen every 

 year, and a very long time often elapses between their visits. There 

 is a belief among the people which it is difficult to explain, but which 

 seems to arise from the much-favoured septennial period, that this bird 

 only appears every seven years : this is an error ; for, to my know- 

 ledge they appeared abundantly in 1831, again in 1834, some few in 

 1837, and in great numbers in 1842. Since that time I have not seen 

 any, but have no reason for believing that none have been seen. I do 

 not think these birds pass the Mediterranean ; they remain too long 

 in Provence to justify such a conclusion. We meet with them in the 

 summer, sometimes even in the autumn, and they disappear in the 

 winter and spring to nestle I know not where. They sojourn in our 

 large pine-forests. 



Bullfinch, Loxia Pyrrhula. Bouvreuil commun, {Temm.) Rarely 

 seen near the coast; common in winter on the heights and in the mid- 

 dle of Provence. 



Pine Grosbeak, Loxia enucleator. Bouvreuil dur-bec, {Temm.) 

 More rare than the preceding; it was killed in numbers at Frejus dur- 

 ing the winter of 1836. 



