52 SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Yellow-breasted Warbler, Sylvia hippolais, — Becfin a-poitrine- 

 jaune, Fr. — Gelebaiichiger Sanger, G. This is not a British bird, 

 although our common Darklegged Warbler ( S. rufa) has often er- 

 roneously received the name hippolais. " Although we cannot with 

 propriety separate the present bird from the true Willow-wrens, 

 QWarblers, Sylvia. — Ed. AnalysQ, still we cannot but be struck with 

 the shorter and stouter contour of its body, and its more robust bill ; 

 it also differs considerably in its habits and mode of nidification ; 

 all those species that inhabit England constructing a singular domed 

 nest, which is always placed on the ground, while the species here 

 illustrated invariably builds on trees, sometimes in the shrubs of the 

 garden, at others in the trees of the forest ; laying five eggs, of a 

 reddish white blotted with spots of a darker red. Those who have 

 not had an opportunity of listening to the song of this little tenant 

 of the grove can scarcely form an idea of its power and melody, in 

 which respects it is only equalled by those of the Blackcap and 

 Nightingale." Dispersed throughout the European continent. The 

 sexes do not differ. Feeds on small insects, caterpillars, &c. The 

 figure, of an adult male, is very good. 



Andalusian Turnix, Hemipodius tachydromus, — Turnix tachy- 

 drome, Fr. A male and female of this somewhat singular-looking 

 creature are given, of the size of life. " Tolerably abundant at 

 Gibraltar and that part of Spain which borders the Mediterranean, 

 being more scarce in the central portions, and in the northern and 

 all similar latitudes altogether absent." Feeds on insects, seeds, 

 &c. " Temminck states that they are polygamous, and that they 

 give a preference to sterile lands, sandy plains, and the confines of 

 deserts, over which they run with surprising quickness ; also that 

 the young and old do not associate in bevies like the Quail." The 

 sexes are similar. The members of the genus Hemipodius differ 

 from the Quails in wanting the hind toe, in their much smaller size, 

 and in their long slender bills. We have little practical knowledge 

 of the present species, and will therefore suppose our author's figures 

 to be characteristic until we are certain of the contrary, as reliance 

 may almost invariably be placed both in the plates and letterpress of 

 the Birds of Europe 



Robin Redbreast, Kubeculafamiliaris, — Becfin rouge-gorge, Fr. 

 — Rothbrustiger Sanger, G. We are almost ashamed of saying any- 

 thing respecting either the plumage or habits of Robin in a quar- 

 terly journal of science, and shall therefore merely observe that the 

 three figures — of an adult male and female, and a fully-fledged 

 young bird — are the best we have seen of the species. 



