Birds. 5269 



of France, through the interminable plains of Bavaria, through the 

 boundless solitudes of the Black Forest, even through the vineyards 

 and gardens of Italy, and, comparing the result of his observations 

 with what he sees daily in his own country, he will marvel at the 

 paucity of specimens of the feathered race ; and though this holds 

 good, to a great extent, with regard to Switzerland, yet I confess my 

 own impression, derived from my own observation, is to the effect 

 that, compared with the other countries above named, Switzerland is 

 rather rich in birds than otherwise, if we bear in mind at the same 

 time the nature of the country, what vast tracts are totally unpro- 

 ductive, mere masses of barren desolate rock, or huge fields of ice, and 

 that comparatively a very small portion indeed of the whole country 

 is available either for the habitation of man or the existence of any 

 members of the animal kingdom. With regard to quadrupeds, though 

 not quite so unfortunate as Mr. Bree, as I have seen both the chamois 

 and the marmot in a wild state ; the former pointed out by the guides 

 as mere specks on the rocks on the Mer de Glace at the back of 

 Grindelwald, and the marmots in the most desolate and wild track I 

 ever traversed, on the way to the Jardin at the back of Mont Blanc, 

 yet I have had but little experience of the furred tribe in Switzerland, 

 nor indeed have I searched for them at all ; but, with respect to 

 birds, the case is different, and I have had many an ornithological 

 treat during my wanderings in the mountains, having accidentally come 

 upon several species which I have never seen alive before, and of 

 these occurrences I beg leave to make a few extracts from my 

 journals. 



It was on the 4th of September, 1844, when near the summit of the 

 splendid Splugen Pass, that I had a distinct view, for above a quarter 

 of an hour, of two of those monarchs of the Alps (at least such I sup- 

 pose them to have been, for I have never before or since seen any 

 living birds, not in confinement, approach them in size), the Lcim- 

 mergeyer, or " vulture of lambs." I had left the carriage to wind its 

 tedious way up the zigzags, and was leisurely clambering up the 

 steep mountain-side, and not far from the summit, all around me being 

 partially covered with snow, and not far off the glaciers, which are the 

 sources of so many of the Italian rivers, at an elevation between six 

 and seven thousand feet above the sea, when suddenly, and at no very 

 great height above me, appeared two gigantic birds of the eagle tribe, 

 now soaring aloft, now sailing in circles, now ascending so high that 

 they appeared mere specks in the sky, and were almost lost among the 

 clouds, now rapidly descending and appearing larger and larger, till 



