Birds. 5505 



At the end of April, while out before breakfast one morning with my 

 gun, ray attention was attracted by the beautifully clear song of a 

 bird, such as I had never yet, in my rambles during the spring, heard ; 

 it was sometimes so loud as to be considered quite close, and at 

 others appearing at a distance, to so soft and low a warble would it 

 fall ; one part was very like that of a canary. I found very great 

 difficulty in getting a sight of the bird among the high brushwood, for, 

 on my approaching close, it would cease to sing, and sneak away ; 

 however, after a long hunt, I was fortunate in getting a shot at one, 

 which proved to be a fine male blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) : there 

 were two or three others about the same place, but I could not get a 

 close sight of them. This bird was not uncommon during May, but 

 was often er heard than seen. 



I obtained the common whitethroat (Sylvia cinerea) at the beginning 

 of May, and it was generally distributed during the month, usually in 

 pairs. 



We end this interesting family by noticing the wood wren (Sylvia 

 sibilairix) and willow wren (Sylvia trochilus) ; the former, inserted on 

 the authority of Dr. William Carte, I did not happen to meet with, but 

 found the latter common and very generally distributed, from the 12th 

 of April till the middle of May, after which I do not find a note of it, 

 but think that it did not leave the country during summer : it usually 

 kept about brushwood, and occasionally about small bushes on bare 

 ground, and generally in pairs. I saw a good many among the bushes 

 bordering the lower part of the Tchernaya river in the fourth week of 

 April. 



The goldencrested regulus (Ttegulus cristatits) was observed by 

 Dr. William Carte, and he has a specimen which he obtained in the 

 month of March. 



Paridce. 



Of this family I can only say that I obtained specimens of the 

 great titmouse (Parus major) and blue titmouse (Parus c&ruleus) 

 during winter and spring, and Dr. William Carte procured ten of the 

 cole titmouse (Parus ater) in the month of February, and the long- 

 tailed titmouse (Parus caudatus) in June. 



Motacillidce, 



I have said before that unless one commences, in collecting, to pick 

 up subjects the most common, it will be found that those which might 

 at one time have been so easily procured are gone, and perhaps 



XV. Y 



