246 SKETCHES OP EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



the propriety of removing it from Salicaria ; probably it will form 

 a new genus. 



Pleasing and characteristic figures of the Black Ouzel^ Merula 

 vulgaris, Riy — Merle noir, Fr. — Schwartz Drossel, G., the male 

 the best. The plumage of the female is beautifully executed, but 

 the head is not so good, and the general colour is rather light for the 

 adult female — approaching, in fact, the hue of the young of both 

 sexes. This bird is common throughout Europe ; and we think, with 

 Mr. Gould, that it ought to be ranged in a different genus from the 

 Thrushes. Like the rest of the genus, it is of a solitary disposition 

 — whence the generic term merula, sola — and its deep rich notes 

 are familiar to almost every one. By the way, Mr. Gould evidently 

 confounds the strains of the present species and those of the Garden 

 Thrush ; probably in this case his remarks are not from personal 

 observation. 



Common Shieldrake, Tadorna vulpanser — Tadorne commun, Fr, 

 — Tadorna commune. It. — Brandente, G. The figure of a male, 

 three-fourths of the living size, is characteristic, but somewhat stiff, 

 and the colouring occasionally too smooth and abrupt. Inhabits 

 the whole of Europe, including Britain, in some parts of which it 

 breeds in abundance. Singular as it may seem, the Shieldrake 

 builds its nest at a considerable depth in Rabbit burrows, forming it 

 of dried grass lined with down from its own breast, and laying 

 from twelve to sixteen white eggs. The male and female sit alter- 

 nately. It feeds on shelled Mollusca, insects, and marine plants. 

 The female only differs from the male in being somewhat smaller, 

 and it may be doubted whether even this would always prove a 

 sufficient distinction. We have seen this beautiful bird in a semi- 

 domestic state on ornamental water in various gentlemen's parks in 

 the midland counties. 



The Longtailed Tit, Parus caudatus — Mesange a-longue- queue, 

 Fr, — Codibugnolo, It, — Schwantzmeise (literally Tailed Mouse !) 

 G. The habits of the Longtailed Tit are too generally known to 

 require detail in this place ; but we may observe that we believe 

 our author to be in error in supposing that it ever lays so many as 

 twenty eggs. We have rarely seen more than twelve. 



A highly creditable figure of the Common Heron, Ardea chierea 

 — Heron cendre, Fr. — Sgarza cenerino. It. — Aschgrauer Reiher, G, 

 Found in almost every part of the old world. The Common He- 

 ron is one of those birds, once abundant in England, which the 

 drainage of fen lands and the cultivation of extensive wastes are 

 rapidly banishing from the country : and, even while we applaud the 



