Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/34

12 wards it was seen, during winter, at S. Giovanni Bianco, Cancerbero, Camerata (Giacomelli's fides). I have noticed that it is met with on the Pizzo dei Tre Signori, Cima di Piazzo (6268 ft.), Mount Aralalta, and Mount Venturosa (6091 ft.). They nest on the roofs of huts, sometimes in the crevices of cliffs, and in the daytime they remain very long at the top of rocks quite close to each other, and we could approach very near them, but at the first report of a fowling-piece they were intensely alarmed, and it was quite impossible to enter into friendly terms with them again. The Hawfinch (Coccothraustes vulgaris, v. Frisù), Chaffinch (Fringilla cœlebs, v. Frànguel), Brambling (F. montifringilla), Greenfinch (Ligurinus chloris, v. Amaròt), Siskin (Chrysomitris spinus, v. Logarì), Goldfinch (Carduelis elegans, v. Gardelì, Raarì), Serin (Serinus hortulanus, v. Sverzerì), Linnet and Bullfinch are common and resident, but much more abundant in passage-time. The Northern Bullfinch (or Pyrrhula major), is also met with; I preserve in my collection a splendid adult male, which I procured from Piazzolo (2139 ft.), through the kindness of Sign. A. Oldrighetti. I have not seen hybrids between F. cœlebs and F. montifringilla, but Dr. Giacomelli told me that they sometimes interbreed; that almost every year he has seen some of them; and that they are well known to bird-catchers. The Citril-Finch (Chloroptila citrinella, v. Turlurì, Canarì de montagna) does not breed, and seems to be only a passage-bird, and not very abundant in most years; it passes generally in the first fortnight of October; and if in one year it is fairly common, in another it is almost rare, so that the flight is not always of the same intensity. I obtained specimens for my collection from Serina (2508 ft,) and Olmo at Brembo. I have made many enquiries in order to learn if this species breeds or not, but have never succeeded in ascertaining; I think, however, that this operation certainly occurs in the evergreen woods of the highest mountains.

Redpolls (Ægiothus linaria and Æ. rufescens, v. Gegì, Cardinalì) are tolerably abundant during the passages, but whether they breed in these mountains is uncertain. Of the Pine-Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator), a straggler was caught in the "Roccolo" of the Trinità near Dossena. The Parrot Crossbill (Loxia pityopsittacus) is certainly very rare; but, regarding this species. Dr. Giacomelli told me it is of an irregular passage, and