56 SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



cbia, It. — Turm Rabe, G. An adult male and female are figured, 

 natural size, and very beautiful. The female is peering out of the 

 hole of a tree. This bird is distributed throughout Europe, and 

 also in the contiguous portions of Asia and Africa. That the Daw 

 Crow is omnivorous, that it breeds in hollow trees or rocks, and 

 that the sexes are alike in plumage, it is almost unnecessary here to 

 observe. 



Pine Bunting, Emberiza pithyornus, — Bruant a-couronne-lactee, 

 Fr. A pair of these birds are spiritedly executed. Inhabits the 

 north of Russia and Siberia, but also occurs as far south as the 

 centre of Turkey, &c. This bird, like most of the Buntings, pos- 

 sesses a handsome shape and plumage. The colours of the female 

 are more dusky than those of the other sex, and she wants the 

 " couronne lactee" of the male. " In size, this rare Bunting rather 

 exceeds E- citrinella," our common Yellow Bunting. 



Common Curlew, Numenius arquata, — Courlis cendre, Fr. — 

 Chiurlo maggiore, //. — Grosse Drachvogel, G. — Graawe Wulp, Ne- 

 derl. The plate represents, in a very superior manner, an adult 

 male, of the natural size. This large but shy species is dispersed 

 throughout the old world, appearing equally at home in all climates. 

 " In the temperate portions of Europe they pass the winter on the 

 sea-coast, and retire to the highlands of Norway during the sum- 

 mer." In England a few remain to breed. Feeds on marine 

 Worms, Crustacea, &c. " The Common Curlew possesses extraor- 

 dinary powers of flight, and is consequently enabled easily to pass 

 from the shores of the sea, at every rising tide, to inland wilds, 

 fields, morasses, &c, and by some peculiar instinct to return to the 

 coast almost at the moment of the commencement of the ebb." 

 They lay on the ground, making scarcely any nest, and employing 

 the same manoeuvres as the Peewit to draw enemies from the spot. 

 The sexes do not differ. 



Fuscous Gull, Larus fuscus, — Goeland a-pieds jaunes, Fr. — Ga- 

 biano zafferano, It. — Herrings Meve, G. An adult and a young 

 bird of the year are well represented, rather more than two-thirds 

 of the natural size, but the situation of the youngling behind the 

 other is not judicious — nor, we may add, courteous ! " On the 

 shores of the continent of Europe its habitat is spread from the 

 Baltic to the Mediterranean." Feeds on mollusca, fish, &c, which 

 it procures in the sea, or in lakes and rivers. Builds in marshes, 

 and on rocks near the sea-shore, a nest of dried grasses, and lays 

 three or four deep olive brown eggs, blotched with brown. The 



