aK SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



young are covered with a full coat of white clown, which lasts for a 

 considerahlc time, and disappears gradually as the feathers advance." 

 The male and female are similar. 



Two well-executed figures of a pair of Black Redstarts, Phcenu 

 cur a <t7A^*— Becfin rouge-queue, Fr. — Schwartze Rothschwantz, 

 G. Several specimens of this elegant Redstart have been killed in 

 England ; but it is only an occasional visiter. Common in the 

 rocky districts of North Europe, but rarely met with in level 

 grounds. Mr. Guuld has traced it all along the road from Frankfort 

 to Berlin. The nest is built in the holes of rocks or old walls, and 

 the six eggs are of a pale pink hue. The female is brownish all 

 over, varying only in shade, the rump and outer tail-feathers being 

 dull red. 



The next plate represents our old winter friend the Fieldfare 

 Thrush, Turdus pilaris — IMerle litorne, Fr. — Tordella gazzina. It. 

 — Wacholder Drossel, G. It visits the temperate portion of Europe 

 in autumn, returning to its true habitat, the Arctic Circle, on the 

 approach of spring. Our author quotes an interesting passage from 

 Hewitson's British Oology relative to this bird, for which we refer 

 the reader to that valuable work, a critical analysis of which will 

 be found in previous numbers of the Analyst. In many parts of 

 the country, the Fieldfare Thrush is in much esteem as a delicacy 

 for the table ; but we do not agree with Mr. Gould in thinking the 

 shyness of the species to be caused by the eagerness with which it 

 , is pursued by gunners. We have found it fully as wild in counties 

 where it is scarcely molested at all, as in places where it is most nu- 

 merously destroyed. Cautiousness is, and ever will be, characteris- 

 tic of the Fieldfare. The figure before us is, perhaps, a leetle too 

 highly coloured. 



The Horned Grebe, Podiceps cornutus. Lath. — Grebe cornu, Fr. 

 — Gehornter Steissfuss, G. This species, the rarest of the British 

 Grebes, has been described, in its winter and immature plumage, as 

 P. Caspicus and P. obscurus. Extends throughout the Arctic 

 Circle, but seldom occurs further south than England or the mid- 

 dle of the United States. Haunts inland lakes and large rivers, and 

 likewise the sea-coast, agreeing in habits and nidification with its 

 British congeners. 



An adult, one fourth less than the natural size, of the Raven 

 Crow, Corvus corax — Corbeau noir, Fr. — Corvo imperiale, //. — 

 Kohlkrabe, G. The figure is too large for the size of the plate, and 

 hence the attitude of this noble bird is somewhat cramped, but the 

 colouring is very good. The Raven has an extensive geographical 



