SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 43 



ing the dominion of a spurious sanctity over the weakness of unen- 

 lightened and superstitious veneration. When this tree, seeming 

 every way " good for food, and pleasant to the eyes," and dispreading 

 a delightsome shade for sages desirous of appearing wise — when this 

 tree first presented itself to the observation of ancient naturalists, the 

 pupils perhaps of Aristotle, they would readily designate it &„%„ 2o ^ v 

 the wisemen's tree, a specific appellation now in Musa sapientum 

 hallowed into established usage by the sanction of the highest botani- 

 cal authorities. By the priests who administered the primitive Egyp- 

 tian mythology, the banana-leaf had an exact signification in the sym- 

 bolical circle of foliage which denoted the eternity of God, and was 

 intended by its mystery to eleviate the minds of His worshippers to 

 meditation on His divine attributes as the uncreated Creator and pro- 

 vidential Ruler of the universe. 



SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Gould's " Birds of Europe." 



Parts XIII. and XIV. 



Part XIII. — On opening the present part of Mr. Gould's series, 

 we are greeted by a pair of our old and familiar friends the Reed 

 Buntings, Emberiza schceniculus, — Bruant de-roseau, Fr. — Zivolo 

 di padule, It. — Rhorr Ammer, G., — though, in truth, we scarcely 

 think justice has been done them in the figures, which give the 

 idea of much too bulky and heavy birds. The male is very fair, 

 but at the same time his characters are so striking that the merest 

 daub would suffice to render him recognisable. The male of this 

 species, it is well known, only acquires his full beauty with the 

 spring of the second year. The female and young, according to 

 authors, are similar, but every practical ornithologist well knows 

 how to distinguish them. 



Barred Ulule, Ulula nebulosa, — Chouette nebuleuse, Fr. A 

 spirited figure, by Lear, representing an adult male rather less than 

 the natural size. It is not one of Lear's best. Rarely occurs fur- 



