BIRDS OBSERVED AT GRINDELWALD. 133 



same place in the summer, though it is at all seasons shy and 

 retiring. 



Magpie (Pica rustica). — Numerous and conspicuous about 

 the valley, where it was certainly one of the commonest birds. 

 I have seen it at Grindelwald in summer, but it seemed far 

 more abundant in winter. The reason for this may be that it 

 frequents the neighbourhood of inhabited houses more at the 

 latter season, in order to pick up a livelihood. I noticed an old 

 nest in a leafless sycamore near the village. 



Carrion-Crow (Corvus corone). — Very common, as in summer, 

 but even more noticed, owing to its tameness and frequenting 

 the neighbourhood of houses. I have seen a dozen or more 

 perched on one tree like Books. It does not seem to go much 

 above 4500 ft. 



Grey Woodpecker (Gecinus camis). — I have no doubt that 

 this and not G. viridis is the form found at Grindelwald, and it 

 is common and resident. Its note was frequently heard near 

 the village, but I never noticed it above 4000 ft. In fact, it 

 seemed to confine itself to the region of deciduous trees, and not 

 to frequent the pine forest. I examined a mounted specimen 

 shot in the neighbourhood. It had a conspicuous greenish 

 yellow rump, but its general colour was grey, ash-grey on the 

 sides of the head and neck, a darker grey on the shoulders and 

 back. The throat, breast, and under parts generally were 

 greyish white. Quills brown, barred with white on the outer 

 webs to near the tips, on the inner webs only near the base. 

 A few of the longest upper tail-coverts were grey, between the 

 yellow rump and the tail-feathers, which were brown, with pale 

 bars as in G. viridis. The cheeks and lores were black without 

 any red. Instead of the broad cap of crimson scarlet on the 

 head, exhibited in G. viridis, with a wedge-shaped extension as 

 far the nape, the scarlet on the crown would be better described 

 as a broad stripe, reaching from the base of the upper mandible, 

 with straight and parallel sides as far as the back of the head, 

 where it ended abruptly with a square outline. The surrounding 

 parts were ash-grey. 



In the hotel on the top of the Faulhorn there are mounted 

 specimens of the Blackcock and Ptarmigan, the latter in snow- 

 white winter dress. I was informed that these had been shot 

 in the valley or on the surrounding mountains. 



