Dr. O. Finsch’s Ornithological Letters. 65 
shy, difficult to secure without the assistance of a good dog. 
Tetrao tetrioc and T. urogallus, the Gluchar of the Russians, 
was sometimes observed, the former in large flocks of thirty 
and more. T. urogallus I once met in the woods, sitting very 
close to me on a dead tree; but I could not bring the bird down, 
being provided only with dust-shot. Hazel-Grouse hunting 
once brought us into great difficulty, as both Dr. Brehm and 
Count Zeil missed their way out of a wood, and on night 
overtaking them were obliged to remain where they were 
till the morning, when I, with as many Ostiaks as I could 
get together, went in search of them, and fortunately came 
up with them in a short time. Of Thrushes we found Turdus 
pilaris the most common species, but far less plentiful than 
in Lapland; T. musicus, T. iliacus, and T. atrogularis were 
rare; once I met a pair of Truficollis and shot one. Frin- 
gilla linaria and F. montifringilla we did not observe after the 
24th of September, when we were amongst the willow-woods 
of the left bank. Even Motacilla alba had disappeared, An - 
thus pratensis was only seen sparingly, no A. cervinus; but 
Otocorys alpesiris appeared in large flocks. The most inter¬ 
esting small bird was one I observed a few times from the 
19th to the 21st of September ; it was a Sylviine bird, resem¬ 
bling much in manners our Redthroat, but having the call- 
note of our Ruticilla phcenicurus . This note I had heard not 
unfrequently when we were going down the river; but now 
for the first time I caught sight of the songster, sitting on a 
low elder bush, and reminding me of the female of Lusciola 
suecica. On shooting the bird it proved to be the Sylvia cy- 
anura of Pallas. I only once saw the male in its elegant garb. 
All the birds we shot during the last half of August, and until 
after the middle of September, were moulting. After about 
the 22nd of September we did not observe any more Phyl- 
loscopus trochilus or P. tristis, or Anthus cervinus. Geese 
and Ducks became scarcer as we ascended the river, although 
large flocks of Geese were still seen as late as the 25th of 
September, but sparingly, and not every day as during the 
first fortnight of September. No Cormorant was seen along 
the whole length of the Ob river ! Gulls are always present. 
