356 SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



appears to extend further south than in the old world, seldom advancing bey6nu 

 the north of Germany, and being occasionally met with in the Orkneys. It 

 preys on Alpine Hares, Rabbits, Lemmings, Grous, and even, says Mr. Gould, 

 on Foxes. It hunts in the day, as might be inferred from an inspection of the 

 bird, and is a dexterous fisher, seizing hold of its finny victim by a sudden clutch 

 of the foot. " It is so shy as to be approached with great difficulty. In the 

 woody districts it shows less caution, and, according to Hearne, has been known 

 to watch the Grouse-shooters a whole day for the purpose of sharing in the 

 spoil. ' On such occasions it perches on a high tree, and when a bird is shot, 

 skims down and carries it off before the sportsman can get near it.' " Sometimes 

 breeds on the ledges of precipitous rocks, and sometimes on the ground, " laying 

 three or four white eggs, of which only two are in general hatched." For the 

 first three years the Snowy Sum is more or less barred with brown, which gra- 

 dually disappears afterwards, and the old males are pure spotless white. The 

 sexes are similar in plumage, but the female is considerably larger than the male. 



Red Ptarmigan, Lagopas Britannicns, — Tetras rouge. Fr. The British 

 ornithologist feels a peculiar interest in this species, as it has never been known 

 to occur out of the British islands ; but since, as every sportsman knows, it is so 

 abundant on the heaths of Cumberland, Westmoreland, Yorkshire, Wales, and 

 many parts of Ireland, surely we cannot encourage the monopoly of our northern 

 brethren by continuing the name L. Scoticus. The plate is beautiful, and repre- 

 sents a male and female of the natural size. 



Black Kite, Milvus ater, — Milan noir, Fr. — Schwartzer Milan, G. • The 

 figure of an adult, two-thirds of the natural size, is in many respects very fine. 

 Common in the south of Europe, but we are not aware of its having ever occurred 

 in Britain. Still, considering the wandering habits of the members of this family ^ 

 and the great powers of flight possessed by the Kites, Mr. Gould thinks it may 

 one day be met with in the southern counties* Also inhabits India and North 

 Africa. Our author has noticed this bird in its natural state, and finds its habits 

 similar to those of the Common Kite. Builds on trees, laying three or four yel- 

 lowish white eggs thickly spotted with brown. The sexes and also young birds 

 are similar. 



Bar- tailed Godwit, Limosa rufa, Barge rousse, Fr.- — Dikfussiger Wasser- 1 

 laufer, G. Two pretty figures> representing the summer and winter plumage, 

 and of the natural size. Breeds in Iceland, Lapland, and the regions within the 

 Arctic circle, but only visits Britain on its vernal and autumnal migrations, thus 1 

 merely considering our island a convenient resting-place on its passage. Frequents 

 marshy places and rivers near the sea, and feeds on aquatic insects, Worms, and 

 mollusca. " They run with great facility over the oozy ground, and fly, when 

 roused, to a considerable distance, uttering as they rise on the wing a hoarse deep' 



