Birds. 5425 



of this bird, I suppose, were brought from the Crimea than perhaps 

 any other. 



Thomas Blakiston. 

 Woolwich, December 3, 1856. 



Ornithological Notes from Leipzic. — When writing recently to the * Zoologist,' 

 T was hardly aware that the pied wagtail (Motacilla Yarrellii) was so uncommon a 

 bird in Germany, as I am now told it is. The very excellent museum in this town 

 only contains a single specimen, and that from Heligoland: the bird is an old male, 

 and labelled " M. Yarrelii." I was the more surprised to find the species considered so 

 rare, because I am perfectly convinced that near Greiz I saw at least three pairs, and 

 these almost daily; in no other locality in Germany, however, did they ever come 

 under my notice. M. flava I also saw there on two occasions, but there is only one 

 example of this beautiful species in the Leipzic Museum, owing, I suppose, to the 

 arid nature of the surrounding country being unsuitecl to its habits. The most 

 beautiful series of the latter bird and M. alba that I ever saw are included in the 

 collection of the Pastor Brehm, who resides in the little village of Reudendorf, about 

 fourteen miles from Jena. This collection contains about 12,000 specimens, principally 

 of the birds of Europe, but many also from South and North America and Africa. 

 It is remarkable not only for the life-like manner in which the birds are set up, but 

 also for the large number of examples of each species, showing the different sexes, at 

 various ages and in all stages of plumage, an infinite improvement on our English 

 cabinets, which usually possess at most three or four specimens of each bird only, quite 

 insufficient to exhibit the principal varieties and changes of feather. Should any 

 English ornithologist find himself by chance in the neighbourhood of the village I have 

 mentioned, let him by all means avail himself of the opportunity ; he will meet with a 

 hearty welcome, and spend a few most profitable hours. I hope that Captain Watkins, 

 whose very interesting article on the birds of Andalusia appears in the November 

 number of the 'Zoologist' (Zool. 5312), will shortly send you some account of the 

 different wagtails he observed in Spain, as it will be most interesting to ascertain 

 whether these pied and white species, one or both, visit that country, for, so far as my 

 knowledge extends, they do not proceed far south. I have ascertained that the great 

 bustard (Otis tarda), formerly very numerous in this neighbourhood, is annually 

 becoming scarcer, numbers being shot by the peasantry, who, since the year 1848, have 

 been allowed much greater freedom in the use of fire-arms, to the great prejudice of 

 birds, large and small, for to the German sportsman all is fair game, from a black grouse 

 to a chaffinch. Once only had I the pleasure of seeing that rare and beautiful species, 

 the goshawk (Falco palumbarius) ; it flew from a thicket of young firs, near the bank of 

 the river Elsher, close on the borders of Saxony; I had an excellent view of it, as at 

 first it flew rather low and at no great speed. Mr. Hoy speaks of it as breeding in this 

 very locality, and gamekeepers and woodmen will tell you that it is still numerous; 

 but I suspect that, as usual, buzzards and sparrowhawks are confounded by them 

 with this scarce bird ; at any rate, notwithstanding a diligent search, I never 

 succeeded in meeting with it a second time. — Henry Smurlhwaite ; Leipzic^ 

 Deeember 4, 1856. 



XV. M 



