BIRDS SEEN IN SWITZERLAND. 7 



Erithacus rubecula, Kedbreast. — In song at Thun, at the 

 Alpbach, and, more commonly, in the spruce, hazel, and birch 

 woods above there (about 3000 to 3500 ft.). Also in woods at the 

 top of the Briinig Pass, and between there and Alpbach. 



Sylvia cinerea, Whitethroat. — Not common. Seen in flat 

 ground (the Bodeli) east of Interlaken ; one near Meiringen, and 

 some in the valley of Engelberger Aa. 



S. atr'icapilla, Blackcap. — Not so common as the next species. 

 In song at Bern, in gardens and Cathedral Terrace. Several at 

 Thun. One near Stansstad. 



S. hortensis, Garden Warbler. — Feeding young in box-bush 

 in garden of Hotel Bellevue at Thun. In song at Meiringen 

 near the Beichenbach ; above and below the Alpbach ; in fact, 

 common in the valley and well up the wooded slopes. On the 

 Pfaffenwand (at about 4500 ft.), at Engelberg, and several about 

 Stansstad. The song is louder and more highly pitched, I fancied, 

 than what we hear in England. Two very fine caged birds 

 hanging outside a stall close to the bear-pit in Bern gave me a 

 good opportunity of listening to the low, rather grating prelude, 

 which can only be heard at close quarters. 



Regulus cristatus, Golden-crested Wren. — In big pines in 

 gardens at Thun. In the pine woods above Im-Hof (2054 ft.). 

 In the Bern Museum a male Goldcrest is labelled ignicapillus ; 

 this is a common mistake, but it is less usual to find a female 

 Firecrest labelled cristatus, as one also does there. 



Phylloscopus ricfus, ChifFchafT. — In song above Alpbach in 

 spruces. In the pine woods at Briinig (about 3200ft). In song 

 on wooded cliffs near Stansstad, and in pines at Worb, near Bern 

 (about 2500 ft.). 



P. sibilatrix, Wood Wren. — On the N.W. side of the road over 

 the Briinig Pass is a fine old beech forest, the trees having 

 beautifully smooth silvery trunks. Here were several Wood 

 Wrens in song. 



P. bonelli, Bonelli's AVarbler. — Abundant at Thun on wooded 

 slopes of pine, beech and oak, with undergrowth of hazel. The 

 song is something between that of the Wood Wren and the Lesser 

 Whitethroat, but wants the shiver of the former and the metallic 

 quality of the latter. It is short, of less duration than that of 

 the Willow or Wood Wrens, and is sometimes uttered with an 

 outburst, as it were; but the tone and amount of energy put into 



