BIRDS SEEN IN SWITZERLAND. 5 



i 



of the rock, and fifteen at least from the ground below. The 

 young, which were nearly fledged on the 24th June, had left the 

 nest next day, so I took it down. It was composed of the 

 following materials: — First, a few twigs, then coarse grass, a 

 little moss and hairy lichen ; then a thick lining of the rotten 

 peat-like substance found underneath the heather and lichen on 

 the ground. This was in lieu of mud, which was probably not to 

 be had when the birds built, — and indeed could not be obtained 

 close to the house then, — and no cows had come up to the alp 

 even at the date of our visit. Lastly, a thick, warm inner lining 

 of fine dead grass. Another pair apparently had their young 

 hidden under some big rocks ; the anxiety of the birds for their 

 young enabled one to watch them closely. We observed a pair 

 a little way below the top of the Joch Pass on the N.E. side. 



Saxicola oenanthe, Wheatear. — One on the stony slope at the 

 upper end of the Engstlen. 



Pratincola rubetra, Whinchat. — Seen at Minister in the Jura. 

 Fairly common at Interlaken, Meiringen, and extended up to the 

 pastures on the Hasliberg to about 8000 or 3500 feet, but not 

 many. Very common about the hay meadows, &c, in the valley 

 of the Engelberger Aa between Engelberg and Stansstad. 



Ruticilla phcenicurus, Redstart. — One male at Bern. Common 

 at Thun about Hotel grounds and on swaths of new-mown hay- 

 grass ; young out of the nest on June 18th, much more spotted 

 than those of the Black Redstart. Many at Interlaken. Common 

 about the outskirts of Meiringen, about the cherry, walnut, and 

 pear orchards. Certainly more abundant about there than I ever 

 saw it in England, but Anderegg said it was more common than 

 usual. This fact was interesting in connection with the increase 

 of the Redstart in some parts of England. Watched one to its 

 nest in the gable end of a chalet. Two or three pairs seen 

 outside Stansstad. 



R. titys, Black Redstart. — A very common, conspicuous, and 

 well-distributed bird, having a considerable range in altitude. In 

 the towns, the villages, the scattered chalets, as well as in the 

 mountains beyond human habitations, it is met with. In Bern 

 you hear the song, and trace it to the bird sitting like a black 

 dot on the great white buildings ; one frequented the tower of 

 the Cathedral, and another affected that of the Benedictine 

 Monastery at Engelberg. We found it on the Tannenband up to 



