48 SKETCHES OP EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Ivory Gull, Larus eburneas, — Mouette blanche, Fr. The plate, 

 representing an adult male, rather more than three-fourths of 

 the natural size, is to our liking. Inhabits the arctic circle, very 

 rarely visits the temperate portions of Europe, and has only been 

 taken two or three times in this country. Its first capture in this 

 country was announced in the Memoirs of the Wemerian Society, 

 by L Edmonston, Esq. Said to breed in rocks overhanging the sea. 

 Eggs unknown. In the solitary wilds which it inhabits " it is con- 

 stantly accompanied by the Fulmar Petrel; and, like the generality 

 of its tribe, which are constantly observed in the neighbourhood of 

 shipping, it is always to be seen following the whalers and feeding 

 upon the refuse thrown overboard, which, with blubber, small fish, 

 and crustacea, forms the principal portion of its diet. Both sexes 

 are distinguished for the snowy whiteness of their plumage, but the 

 young are of a uniform dark grey the first autumn, " which gradu- 

 ally gives place to a mottled livery of black and white, the ends of 

 the primaries and tail retaining the dark marking the longest, and 

 until the end of the second year. It is also said that the immacu- 

 late white plumage is that of summer, and that the head and neck 

 are streaked with grey in winter." 



Cretzchmar's Bunting, Emberiza ccesia, — Bruant cendrillard, Fr. 

 A pair are figured, and the female is particularly well executed. 

 This beautiful and rare Bunting was added to the European fauna 

 by Dr. Cretzschmar, of Frankfort, as a straggler in the southern 

 and eastern portions of that continent. Inhabits Syria and Egypt. 

 As Temminck suggests that it may have been mistaken for a vari- 

 ety of the well-known E. cia or E. horlulana, it may possibly be of 

 more frequent occurrence in Europe than is at present supposed. 

 The plumage of the female is less bright than that of the male. 

 Of the habits, &c, little is ascertained. 



Great Auk, Alca impennis, — Pingouin brachiptere, Fr. An 

 adult in summer dress, and two-thirds of the natural size, is re- 

 markably happily figured, in the act of devouring a fish. " The 

 seas of the polar regions, agitated by storms and covered with im- 

 mense ice-bergs, form the congenial habitat of the Great Auk : here 

 it may be said to pass the whole of its existence, braving the se- 

 verest winters with the utmost impunity, so that it is only occa- 

 sionally seen, and that at distant intervals, even so far south as the 

 seas adjacent to the northernmost parts of the British Islands." 

 Extends throughout the arctic circle, is unable to fly, and progresses 

 on land with difficulty, but, as might be anticipated, is extremely 

 expert in the water. " Here it is truly at ease, following its prey, 



