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13 



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18 



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25 



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27 



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30 



May 



3 



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4 



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4 



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7 



51 



7 



Residence in Vienna. 5813 



Philomel." Not only is it larger built, but, inasmuch as its call- 

 note differs from that of Luscinia, it is undoubtedly distinct. 



The following list shows the arrival of those summer birds whose 

 advent I could remark with certainty : — 



Chiffchaff 



Redstart 



Willow Wren 



Swallow 



Serin Finch 



Martin 



Blackcap 



Cuckoo 



Summer Snipe 



Pettychaps ... 



Titlark ... 



Golden Oriole 



Swift ... 



Lesser Wliitethroat 



Nightingale ... ... ... ... ... „ 8 



Whitethroat ... ... ... ... ... „ 9 



As spring advances, every pond and marsh resounds with the 

 croak, or rather shriek, of the edible frog (Rana esculenta). This very 

 handsome species is far commoner in this neighbourhood, as well as 

 in North Germany generally, than the Rana temporaria of Britain. The 

 land cry uttered by the edible species, Mr. Jenyns tells us, has ob- 

 tained for them the misnomer of Cambridgeshire nightingales. There 

 can be no doubt that this is the species Aristophanes was accustomed 

 to see, and which act so important a role in his comedy of the 

 ' Frogs,' his expression, BgekEKstiExe!; hquZ xoatj, being an exact imitation 

 of the croak of this frog when properly intoned ; and at every note 

 the translucent sacs beside the head swell out as big as marbles. 

 Indeed, I have remarked that the slightest sound uttered by them 

 seemed to dilate the sacs no less than the loud noise they can and do 

 make at certain times, especially towards evening, when an assem- 

 blage of them in a large pond or marsh produces an effect ludicrous 

 in the extreme. I did not see any of the spawn of this species, which 

 I believe, indeed, is not deposited until June ; but the spawn of the 

 common frog I found in small quantities at the end of March. Not- 

 withstanding the abundance of the edible frog, I never heard of its 

 forming an article of diet in Vienna; but I may perhaps here mention 

 that the edible snail (Helix pomalia) is constantly used for food, and 

 in every bill of fare " Schnecken mit kren" (snails with mustard) are 



