236 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



ZOOLOGICAL NOTES FROM MENTONE, 1912. 



On Oct. 31st I had given to me a female Blackcap, and on Nov. 

 5th a female Golden-crested Wren, both of which had been obtained 

 in the Valley of the Borigo. Blackcaps have been plentiful in the 

 gardens during the past winter, and are evidently sedentary in part, 

 but some may migrate to higher ground in summer ; they frequently 

 uttered their call-note, which resembles the sound produced by 

 striking two stones together. This note is sometimes repeated very 

 often and very loudly, and then becomes, I suppose, a note of alarm 

 or warning. I had one in my hands, with the under mandible partly 

 and the feet wholly horn-coloured ; I judged these to be marks of 

 immaturity. There was a bare reddish ring round the eyes. On 

 Dec. 17th I flushed a small bird on the Chemin de l'Annonciade, 

 which appeared to be wholly black, but as it had a red tail, I have little 

 doubt that it was a Black Redstart. Four days later I saw one of 

 the Yellow-breasted Wagtails in the garden ; I believe this was the 

 Grey Wagtail (Motacilla melanope). The breast was very pale 

 yellowish, the throat black, bounded bv a narrow whitish line ; the 

 black of the throat was not quite pure. A male Golden-crested 

 Wren, given to me on Dec. 23rd, had the crest a bright orange-red, 

 with only a few minute yellow feathers visible. I received a Willow- 

 Warbler on the same day, so that bird is also apparently resident all 

 the year. 



On March 8th I noted that almost all the Gulls had coal-black 

 (not brown) heads and black bills and feet. Some had wholly white 

 tails ; the tails of others were white tipped with black. There were 

 a few the wings of which were streaked with white and ashen. 

 Further observation is necessary before one can pronounce an opinion 

 on the species. Two large gulls seen with the smaller ones on 

 Feb. 2nd were, I believe, Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 



About July 7th or 8th, as I was sitting by the Bevera, near 

 Sospel, I became suddenly aware that a large snake was in front of 

 me, close to the side of the stream, whither, I suppose, it had come 

 to drink. It saw me, and appeared undecided how to act, turning its 

 slender and graceful head anxiously from side to side. I moved 

 slightly, and it turned sharply round and slid under cover in the 

 twinkling of an eye. I never saw Tasmanian snakes glide so rapidly. 

 The upper surface was conspicuously marked with black (or perhaps 

 very dark green) and yellow. The species was Zamenis viridiflavus, 

 Wagl. In June, near Sospel, and near Moulinet, I saw on several 

 occasions a bright green Lizard, minutely dotted with black, about 



