NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF BELGIUM. 159 



Forest of Ardenne, for instance. Many are kept caged in towns 

 and villages, and sing very loudly ; all that I examined were 

 blind. The Chaffinch here sings a long and good strain. The 

 first part is long, although usually rather sibilant ; the second 

 part is loud and full. The fact that the song of the Chaffinch 

 differs (more or less) in different districts was remarked upon 

 long ago by Humboldt, who, writing of the Canary of Montana 

 Clara, says : — " The note of these birds varies with their flocks, 

 like that of our Chaffinches, which often differs in two neigh- 

 bouring districts " (' Personal Narrative,' vol. i. p. 39). 



Linota cannabina. — Common about bushy cliffs and box-clad 

 gorge, as well as by the river. 



Pyrrhula europcea. — I met with a pair in a wood bearing the 

 curious name of Bois de Froide Veau (so in the map), and 

 another in the valley of the Molignee. 



Emberiza citrinella. — Seen about the arable land, and bushed 

 gorge above Bouvigne. 



E. schceniclus. — One by the Meuse. 



Sturnus vulgaris. — A few near Dinant. 



Garrulus glandarius. — Two in the Forest of Ardenne, one of 

 which was making a queer attempt to sing, or rather to chant. 



Pica rustica. — Occasionally seen. 



Corvus monedula. — Numerous ; they haunt, among other 

 places, the cliff under the Chateau Walzin, various bare cliffs 

 along the Meuse, the old Norman church at Hastiere, and the 

 ruins of the Chateau Montaigle, on an isolated rock rising straight 

 from the Molignee. 



C. corone. — Seen about the cliffs and wooded heights along 

 the river, and in the Forest of Ardenne. 



Alauda arvensis. — Fairly common on the open arable land, 

 and some near Givet. 



Cypselus apus. — A fair number about Dinant, and Swifts were 

 to be seen about high cliffs here and there between that place and 

 Givet. In Givet the Swift was the ruling species, and abundant. 



lynx torquilla. — Heard twice in the distance. 



Gecinus ?. — I heard several times the note of a Green 



Woodpecker in the woods and forest, but never saw the bird. On 

 some occasions the laugh seemed deep in tone, as if it proceeded 

 from G. canus, but this is uncertain. 



