SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 51 



and a young bird, being, in fact, misrepresentations — or that he has 

 never studied this beautiful species in its native haunts. The Com- 

 mon Goldwing (or " Gold Finch") is limited to Europe, preferring 

 wild mountainous districts in winter. In England it is common 

 about our orchards, gardens, fields, hedge-rows, &c, in spring and 

 summer, but it is not often met with in these localities during the 

 inclement seasons. Its general history is familiar to every bird- 

 fancier. 



Manks Shearwater, Puffinus Anglorum, Ray, — Petrel Manks, Fr. 

 The adult male, size of life, is given, with good effect. Selby be- 

 lieves that the diminution in the number of this species wherever 

 man takes up his abode, is to be attributed to the greedy destruc- 

 tion of the eggs and young, which are much sought after for the 

 table. Our author believes that the species is still common on the 

 coast of South Wales. The Manks Shearwater is a truly oceanic 

 species. It breeds in deserted Rabbit-burrows, crevices of rocks, &c, 

 laying one white egg. Food, Crustacea, fish, molluscs, &c. " Giv- 

 ing a decided preference to the western coasts of our islands, they 

 are tolerably abundant in Ireland and the Western and Orkney 

 Islands. After the breeding season, they retire southwards, even 

 beyond the Mediterranean, where, in consequence of the increased 

 temperature, they find a greater supply of food than they could in 

 more rigorous climates during the winter." The sexes and young 

 are similar, or nearly so. 



Common Gallinule, Gallinnla chloropus, Lath., — Gallinule ordi- 

 naire, Fr. — Grunfussiges Rohrhuhn, G. This plate, representing 

 an adult male and a young bird, in their natural haunts, could 

 hardly be surpassed. Few species are more universally distributed, 

 or more abundant everywhere, than the present. It appears to oc- 

 cur in every part of the globe. We may add to our author's de- 

 scription, that we have several times seen the nest six or seven feet 

 from the ground, in Portugal Laurels and other bushes near the 

 water, or overhanging it. When the young are hatched in these 

 instances, they are probably conveyed to the water in their parents' 

 bills, a mode of conveyance which we have reason to believe is not 

 uncommon with the species. When with a friend, we once started 

 a large Pike in a shallow ditch. The fish had previously remained 

 quiet several minutes, but the moment it darted off, a Gallinule 

 swam from the same spot. It was a young bird of the year, and 

 was easily caught. Whether or not the Pike had fixed his eyes on 

 the Gallinule did not appear ; but probably neither the fish nor the 

 bird were aware of each other's presence. 



