Birds. 5273 



with his more intimate friends, is deploring so mnch) states, under the 

 head of this bird, that "specimens have been obtained several times 

 in the neighbourhood of Geneva," implying that it is a rare bird in the 

 country generally, but though T have never been so fortunate myself 

 as to see it wild in that or any other country, yet from the numerous 

 stuffed specimens and skins I have seen in various parts of Switzer- 

 land of birds shot in those parts respectively, and also from what I 

 have been told by persons residing in the country, T am inclined to 

 think that the rose-coloured pastor is, if not a regular summer visitant, 

 yet by no means a rare straggler there. It is astonishing and very 

 mortifying how quickly the beautiful rose-colour, from which it derives 

 its name, fades after the death of the bird ; at first the tint is very vivid 

 and most delicately soft, but in course of time it gives place to an 

 almost dirty white, which, I regret to say, is the case with the speci- 

 men which has now been in my collection some years ; though this 

 sad fading away of delicate colour is not confined to Pastor roseus, — 

 the beautiful salmon-colour of the goosander, so exceedingly rich while 

 the bird is alive and immediately after its death, vanishing in process 

 of time with most annoying rapidity ; and the same may be affirmed 

 of many others of our most delicately tinted and most beautiful 

 species. 



The Jay [Garrulus glandarius). I have on several occasions 

 observed this bird in various parts of the country, chattering among 

 the orchards and little homesteads of the peasant farmers, or flying 

 among the trees of the larger forests, with which so many of the lower 

 mountains are clothed. 



The Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes). On two several occa- 

 sions has it been my good fortune to see, and not only to see, but to 

 have a good opportunity of watching, this bird in its wild state, and a 

 fine, bold, strongly-built, active fellow he is; the first time was in 

 1839, in the valley of the Reuss, which I consider one of the most 

 grand and picturesque of all the valleys I have explored, and which I 

 have twice seen at great advantage, — when the torrent had been un- 

 usually swollen with rain, and at one time in extraordinary grandeur, 

 in the midst of a succession of some of the most terrific thunderstorms 

 I ever witnessed. I shall never forget the scene at the famous " Devil's 

 Bridge," when, already drenched to the skin, we were gazing over the 

 parapet at the impetuosity of the raging Reuss,— foaming, tumbling, 

 dashing, roaring along, with such a din and such a spray as I had 

 never till then witnessed, — a din that drowned our voices, and a spray 

 that dashed over the bridge, high as it is above the water : we were 

 XIV. 2 Y 



