132 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



small flock near Interlaken. Probably it forsakes the mountains 

 altogether, and is only found in the lowest valleys in winter. 



House-Sparrow {Passer domesticus). — Plenty of them in the 

 village. They looked as dirty and untidy as any " city Sparrows " 

 on the pure white snow. 



Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). — Fairly common. Frequent 

 near the houses, where I often saw it partaking, along with 

 the Tits, of the food supplied. It also was often seen on the 

 stones in the bed of the Liitschine, where it seemed to find food 

 at the edge of the water. Not seen in the woods. 



Snow-Finch {Montifringilla nivalis). — A large flock at the 

 top of the Faulhorn, 8900 ft. They were constantly about the 

 hotel there, and their pleasant twittering quite enlivened that 

 lonely spot. They are evidently able to exist in those arctic 

 haunts the whole year round. I also saw them on the wing lower 

 down, but not in the valley. No doubt they flock and wander 

 more or less in the severe weather. A flight of these birds 

 passing close to the observer, so that the black and white wings 

 are displayed, is a very pretty sight. 



Bullfinch (Pyrrhula europcea). — Frequently seen and heard. 

 It seemed chiefly to frequent the margin between the pine woods 

 and the deciduous trees, the former no doubt affording it shelter 

 and the latter food. 



Yellow Bunting (Emberiza citrinella). — Common about the 

 village and the valley, where, together with the House- Sparrow 

 and Chaffinch, it seemed to obtain food from the droppings of 

 horses on the roads, and other refuse in the neighbourhood of 

 houses. As it is common at Grindelwald in summer it is no 

 doubt a resident. 



Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax alpinus). — A large flock about 

 the summit of the Faulhorn seemed to show that this bird 

 remains in its mountain haunts throughout the year, though 

 how so large and numerous a species obtains food enough in 

 those regions in winter is a mystery. It was certainly inter- 

 esting to find this bird, the Snow-Finch, and Alpine Accentor 

 frequenting the top of the Faulhorn, 9000 ft. above sea-level, in 

 January, just as in June. 



Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes). — Heard in the pine 

 woods of the Faulhorn range, though I did not see the birds, 

 which were concealed among the trees. I have seen it at the 



