Letters , Extracts from Correspondence , Notices , fyc. 237 
2000 metres). This mountain is quite clear of wood, nor are 
even single trees to be seen. Towards the east the side of the 
mountain descends almost perpendicularly; and amongst the 
rocks are many Red-legged Partridges ( Perdix rubra), and great 
numbers of Choughs ( Pyrrhocorax graculus ), which breed there. 
On the southern side, which is quite covered with grass, the 
ascent is easy on mules. In the ascent I only met with a few 
Meadow Pipits ( Anthus pratensis ), single or in couples. The 
mountain has two summits, one towards the west, the other 
towards the east, separated by a deep rent, at the bottom of 
which is a very small lake, named Pilate's Lake. I ascended 
the eastern summit. On the descent, at about 400 feet from 
the top, a flight of about thirty birds passed above my head, which 
I recognized directly to be the Snow Bunting ( Plectrophanes 
nivalis ), since some were entirely white beneath, while their 
wings and tail were white and black, and these must have been 
old males; whilst others, probably young birds or females, were 
whitish beneath, and those parts of the wings and tail which 
were black in the former in these were brownish. Their flight 
was undulating, and their note, though louder, resembled that 
of the Siskin (Fringilla spinus ). 
Much to my regret, I was not able to procure any specimen. 
The guides told me that these were the Birds of Mount Vetore 
(Uccelli di Vetore ), and that shepherds frequently found their 
nests on the ground. 
Next year I propose to make a careful search in order to pro¬ 
cure the nest and eggs; and during the coming winter I hope 
to have from that locality some specimens of the species, of which 
I have in my collection of Italian birds a young specimen killed 
near Pisa, on the 18th of November, 1857. 
I take this opportunity to acquaint you with a singular case 
of hybridism. In November 1861 I purchased in Florence a 
living bird which had the appearance of a Thrush, and in size, 
colour of the bill, legs, feet, and upper parts was quite 
like a Song-Thrush ( Turdus musicus). The lower parts were 
almost entirely black, except the edge of each feather, which 
was of a light colour; round the neck it had a narrow ring of 
feathers of a yellowish white; on the belly were two or three 
