Mocsáry Sándor szerk.: Természetrajzi Füzetek 21/1-4. (Budapest, 1898)
3-4. szám
478 Dí MADARÁSZ. Warbler (Sylvia Orpheus) when, he found the bird suspended on a branch provided with sharp thorns of the Paliurus aculeatus plant. After close examination it appeared, that the bird had been killing himself probably by entangling himself in the thorns and ripping the skin of his throat, besides having twisted twice round the branch in his struggle. The death might have set in about four days ago, the bird however appeared to be still fit for preparation and therefore we preserved in the same hanging position in which it died on the thorn (See figure in the hung, text.) As natural, dove-shooting was at once ceased and we immediately started in search of the home of the Chat. Hardly had we left Povile, as we caught sight of two pairs among the masses of stone-lieaps and had considerable trouble in getting them among the rasor-sharp rocks. At last I succeeded in bringing down a fine male specimen. On the following day I set out on foot on the road leading from Novi to Povile and already mid-way the Eastern Black-throated Chats appeared, but were so cunning and cautious that none could be got within shot. Whilst I climed with considerable trouble the rocky height, the bird was wagging his tail again on some rock in the depth. Once when out without a gun I succeeded to ajjproache the Chats. About thirty yards from me a female alighted on the road and not long after the male came down. But it seems that they did not feel quite safe, because they soon perched on a fig-tree at the road-side, whence they settled after a few minutes with a graceful and butterily-like flight on the edge of one of the rocks bordering the road. Here the female began to flap her wings like a flycatcher does and to erect every now and then her spreadout tail. The male behaved in the same manner and kept on bowing before the female. But all at once, like on a sign, they quieted and then as if informing eachother of a coming danger, they moved in the next moment to the top of the stone-wall, where the male appeared only as a little white spot, when he turned round his mate and his movements were rather to be guessed, than to be seen. However they did not remain a long time on the height, but disappeared after a short time in the rocky back-ground. Not very far from the mentioned place I found also three females in a group, courted by males. It happened on the same day, that in advancing on the road, at a sudden turn of it, a male Chat flashed up before my eyes, and was shot in the same moment ; to my great suiprise it turned out to be the Blackeared Chat (Saxicola aurita, TEMM.). Later it became evident, that the Black eared Chat is as common in the Hungarian Littoral as the Eastern one. Before writing this article, I found it necessary to take a look at the Museum of Zágráb, where the avifauna of the Littoral is richly represen-
