478 SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



brown." Mr. Gould and M. Temminck do not agree as to the amount of 

 difference between the sexes, and we are unable to throw any light on the point, 

 not being acquainted with the species in its native haunts. 



Sabine's Snipe, Scolopax Sabini, Vigors. — The first specimen of this bird 

 known to have occurred in the British Islands, was killed in Queen's county, 

 Ireland, in Aug., 1822,' and was sent the same day to N. A. Vigors, Esq., M.P., 

 D.C.L. Several individuals have since been shot in various parts of Britain. 

 "It is at once distinguished," says Dr. Vigors, "from every other European 

 Scolopax by the total absence of white from its plumage, or any of those lighter 

 tints of ferruginous yellow which extend more or less in stripes along the head 

 and back of them all. In this respect it exhibits a strong resemblance to S. 

 saturata, from which, however, it differs in general proportions ; and I find no 

 description of any other extra-European species which at all approaches it in this 

 character of its plumage. In the number of its tail-feathers, again, which 

 amount to twelve, it differs from S. major, which has sixteen, and S. gallinago, 

 which has fourteen ; it agrees, however, in this point with S. gallinula ; but it 

 can never be confounded with that bird, from the great disproportion between 

 the essential characters of both, the bill alone of S. Sabini exceeding that of the 

 latter species by one-third of its length. The tarsi, although stouter than those 

 of S. gallinago, fall short of them by Jtths of an inch ; they are much weaker, on 

 the other hand, than those of S. [major, although they nearly equal them in 

 length." Its habits are at present unknown. 



Common Snipe, Scolopax gallinago, — Becassine ordinaire, Fr. — Beccacino 

 reale, It. — Heer Schnepfe, G. — This and the preceding species are finely repre- 

 sented, on the same plate ; both are males, and of the living size. " Although 

 the contrary has been long recorded by naturalists, we conceive that the natural 

 range of the Common Snipe is comparatively limited, and that the Snipes from 

 India, Africa, and North America, that have been regarded as identical with 

 our bird, will be found to be specifically distinct ; in the character of their 

 plumage they are indeed somewhat similar; but they nearly all present a 

 different form in the feathers of the tail, and also a difference of number." 



Lanner Falcon, Falco lanarius, — Faucon lanier, Fr. — Faultless figures of an 

 adult male and a young bird, rather under the natural size. Native habitat the 

 east of Europe and the adjacent parts of Asia and Africa. " It rarely passes 

 further westward than the central parts of the European continent ; is scarcely 

 ever seen in France or Holland, and never in Britain." Our author's figures are 

 taken from specimens lent to him by his friend M. Temminck. The Lanner is 

 intermediate between the Jer and Peregrine Falcons, but differs considerably in 

 plumage from both those species. " The young of the year differs from the 

 adult in having the cere and legs blue instead of yellow," &c. While at Vienna 



