Dr. O. Finsch's Ornithological Letters. 
49 
side. These consisted solely of European winter residents, 
such as Corvus corax , C. cornix, C. frugilegus, C. monedula, 
Pica caudata, Emberiza citrinella, Pyrrhula vulgaris, and 
Ducks and Swans in great numbers, which rested on the open 
water of every river and lake. Before reaching Tjumen, and 
between that town and Omsk, we observed Tetrao tetrix and 
Lagopus alpinus everywhere in great numbers. Of the former 
we met with a flock of about sixty or more. They were feed¬ 
ing on the road, and allowed us to approach within shot. 
At Omsk we made the acquaintance of Professor Slovzoff, 
the most accomplished and diligent collector in Siberia. His 
collection, which forms the museum of the Military Gym¬ 
nasium, contains a number of birds, all, however, belonging 
to European species. A fine specimen of Gypaetus came 
from the Balchasch, a species said to occur in the southern 
Altai. We did not ourselves meet with this bird of prey. 
Whilst here we obtained a specimen of Par us cyaneus, being 
the third seen by Professor Slovzoff during a nine years' resi¬ 
dence at Omsk. 
On leaving Omsk we travelled as quickly as possible across 
the steppe along the Kozakline to Semipalatinsk, where we 
arrived on the 29th of April. On the road we observed num¬ 
bers of* Falco rufipes, F. cenchris, Circus cyaneus, and for the 
first time Alauda sibirica, A. tartarica, MotaciUa citreola 
(one only), Charadrivs gregarius, Otis tarda, and 0. tetrax, 
Cranes, and large flocks of Ducks, Geese, and Swans. We 
saw a single Heematopus ostralegus, a species we did not meet 
with again until reaching the Irtisch and Ob rivers. Corvus 
cornix, C. frugilegus, C. monedula, Pica caudata, and Sturnus 
vulgaris were everywhere common. The Crows and Magpies 
built their nests, in default of large trees, on bushes, some¬ 
times only a few feet from the ground. Corvus cor one we 
never saw, and the Raven only near woods. In the environs 
of Semipalatinsk we obtained Saxicola leucomela, Phyllo- 
scopus tristis, and Cyanecula suecica (with the maroon-coloured 
throat-spot); the same bird we afterwards found in the Chinese 
Altai and on the Irtisch. 
On the 3rd of May we went to the Arcad Mountains, 
ser. iv.— VOL. i. 
E 
