SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 277 



inent to ]\Iontagu's Ornithological Dictionary. Three specimens 

 only of this'bird have hitherto been killed in Europe. The criti- 

 cism of Temminck on the elevation of the Grey Snipe to the head 

 of a new genus, so strictly accords with our own views and opinions, 

 that we shall transcribe it : " Leach has formed of this species a . 

 new genus, under the name of Macrorampkus grisens, apparently 

 on account of the minute membrane which unites the exterior to 

 the middle toe, — the only difference which distinguishes this bird 

 from the other European Snipes, of which it exhibits all the man- 

 ners and habits. In isolating beings by such minute and anomalous 

 characters, which do not relate to any of their animal functions, we 

 create difficulties in artificial classification : the memory becomes 

 uselessly burthened with a series of names ; and method serves only 

 to impart false notions on the nature and relations of animals." — 

 Manuel d'Ornilhologie, v. ii., p. 680. 



Plate XX. — The birds which compose the genus Lestris, have 

 hitherto been confounded with the Lari; although sufficiently dis- 

 tinguished from them by peculiarities of external character and of 

 habit. The Gulls are lazy and timid birds : the Lestres or Skuce, 

 on the contrary, are bold and fearless ; rarely fish for themselves ; 

 but subsist on food which they compel the Gulls to disgorge. The 

 genus, as now constituted, comprehends four European species,* 

 among which is the subject of the present plate, the Common Skua, 

 Lestris cataractes (Larus cataractes, Linnaeus, Cataractes vulgaris , 

 Fleming), — Stercoraire Cataracte, Fr, This noble bird is figured 

 in a style worthy of one in which the Eagle itself finds a formida- 

 ble assailant.t 



Fourth Part. 



Plate I. — An admirable drawing of the Great Grey Shrike, — 



* See p. 103 of the present vol. of The Analyst. 



-f- For the sake of brevity, we shall henceforth exhibit the Recapitulation 

 at the close of the Analysis, of each Part, in the form of a Table. 



Part III. 



Plates. Figures. Genera. Species. 



6 one 6 adult male. 



12 two 24 



: adult male. 6 6) 



{2 diversities of age. 2 V British, 17 



9 sex. 11 9) 



1 season. 1 ) v^^t.- k 



2 three 6 sex and 2 4/ ^^«*^^' ^ 



— — species. — -r- 



20 36 19 22 



