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SOME SWISS BIRDS OBSERVED AT THE RHONE 

 GLACIER, KLEINE SCHEIDEGG, AND MACOL1N, 

 JURA BERNOISE, IN 1909. 



By Rev. Charles W. Benson, LL.D. 



I held for some weeks in July and August, 1909, three 

 chaplaincies in Switzerland : — 



1. Rhone Glacier, 5742 ft. above sea-level. 



2. Kleine Scheidegg, 6768 ft. above sea-level. 



3. Macolin-over-Bienne, 2883 ft. above sea-level. 



I venture to contribute some observations of the birds noted 

 at these three stations, and also on the Grimsel Pass and the 

 Furka, and up to a height of 8120 ft. 



July 9th we left Meiringen in the diligence with five horses 

 for Gletsch, the Rhone Glacier Hotel. When we had been out 

 for about four hours we arrived at the Handeck Falls and Hotel, 

 and were there told that further progress was impossible, as the 

 Grimsel Pass was blocked with snow. We therefore reluctantly 

 returned to Meiringen for the night. Next day we set out again, 

 and were enabled providentially to get through, as rain had set 

 in. But on the following day — Sunday — this changed to snow, 

 and the Grimsel had seven feet deep of snow in it, and icicles, I 

 was assured, at least one foot and a half long. The wires were 

 all down, and even the iron rails fastened on stone posts on the 

 road. Of course all communication was stopped, and travellers 

 who came down by the Furka intending to pass over the Grimsel 

 had to remain at the Rhone Glacier Hotel. The authorities 

 told me that this was quite an unparalleled state of things in 

 their experience — such a snowfall in July was a thing unheard- 

 of before. Large numbers of soldiers with pioneers in front and 

 many labourers set to work and opened the Pass for traffic by 

 the Wednesday following. Before the great snowfall reached 

 the valley, I noticed some Common Swifts and Wheatears 

 not very far from the hotel, but they seemed to disappear 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. XIII., October, 1909. 2 h 



