MK. J. H. GURNEY ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF SWITZERLAND. 257 
secure home ; but its louil cry in May and unmistakable flight in 
wavy dips betray it, even if the brilliancy of its red head is not 
seen flashing among the Chestnut stems. Its method of concealment 
is full of instinct; viz., in the first instance to remain perfectly still, 
trusting to the general harmony of the woodland tints. When it 
docs leave its tree, it commences the ascent of the next one at the 
bottom, easily succeeding by its spiral course in keeping the trunk 
between itself and the observer. Once its dark eye was fixed upon 
us, as it loudly tapped the bole of a large Cherry tree, and then 
remained perfectly motionless, until I gradually drew up to within 
a few yards, with fixed opera-glasses which revealed its every feature. 
Naumann says this Woodpecker cracks cherry-stones, and prefers 
hard-wood trees to conifers. 
In the same place a few Crag Martins ( Cotyh ? rupestri *•) — an old 
Algerian acquaintance — haunt tho gorges, and in company with 
Kestrels manifest displeasure at man’s intrusion into their domain. 
At the other end of tho lake Gotijle rupextris would appear from 
Necker’s remarks to be very rare, and neither Mr. Howard Saunders 
(‘Ibis,’ 1891, p. 1GS) nor Mr. Aplin (‘Zoologist,’ 1892, p. GG) met 
with it at all. It appears, however, from Fatio’s map,* to breed all 
up the Rhone Valley, and to be common in Tessin and Khin. 
Only once was the Hooded Crow seen — on April 2Gth — which 
Air. Howard Saunders, in his list, speaks of as rare; but the 
Carrion Crow is extremely common around, and even in the 
towns, sometimes actually perching on chimney-tops ! Xot until 
I had seen these partaking of dead fish and other animal matter, 
could I divest my mind from the idea that they were Black-faced 
Rooks, which had not shed their bristles, but Mr. Saunders 
has decided that they are real Crows ( Corvus cor one, L.). The 
querulous Alpine Chough (Pt/rrhocorax a/pinus), whose rolling note 
Mr. Saunders likens to “ tir-kee tirkee” is at home to those who like 
to climb six thousand feet to see him, where he wheels about in the 
air, showing his lemon-coloured bill afar, and anon the whole flock 
settle on some uncovered patch where the snow is wasting, or seek 
their food in the vicinity of some mountain hotel. The Nutcracker 
must also be sought for high up, the Jay taking its place in the 
plains. In hard weather, I am told the Choughs come down to 
* ‘ Catalogue des Oiseaux de la Suisse,’ par Dr. Fatio et le Dr. T. Studer, 
1889 — 1894 . 
