253 



SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Gould's " Birds of Europe." 



Parts XI. akd XII. 



Part XI. — This plate contains a good representation of a queer- 

 looking birdj the Ural Surn^ Surnia Uralensis — Hibou de I'Ouralj 

 Fr. — being a male^ figured somewhat under the natural size. It is 

 a very scarce bird^ and one about which little is known. Mr. Gould 

 believes that its general habits entitle it to a place in the genus Sur- 

 nia ; but an inspection of the plate before us, and especially the 

 great development of the facial disk, makes us but ill satisfied with 

 that arrangement. If it is to be a Surnia, assuredly it is a most 

 aberrant species ; but we cannot reconcile ourselves to classing it in 

 that genus at all. Occurs, though spai-ingly, in the northern re- 

 gions of Lapland, Siberia, Sweden, and Norway ; is somewhat 

 more plentiful in Hungary and Livonia, but is every where scarce, 

 and is supposed to be confined to the Old World. Feeds on Leve- 

 rets, Rats, Mice, Ptarmigan, &c. Builds in the holes of trees, and 

 lays two white eggs. The sexes are similar, but the ground colour 

 in young birds is lighter than in adults. 



Little Plover, Charadrius viinor — Petit Pluvier a-coUiei-, Fr. — 

 Kleiner Regenpfeifer, G. An adult and a young bird of the first 

 autumn are very well figured. Science is indebted to Mr. H. Dou- 

 bleday, of Epping, for the addition of this little species to the Bri- 

 tish fauna, a specimen having been taken at Shoreham, in Sussex. 

 " From the extreme youth of the individual transmitted to us, it is 

 clear that it must have been bred on the spot ; and it is worthy of 

 notice that the pei'son who killed it affirms that he has long sus- 

 pected the present bird to be a resident on that part of the coast," 

 having noticed a peculiarity in the note of the species. It is abun- 

 dant in the south of Germany as far as Italy, frequenting large 

 rivers. ]\Ir. Gould positively states that the American specimens 

 he has examined are specifically different. Resembles the Rinc 

 Plover in habits, and constructs its nest among shingles on the wa- 

 ter's edge ; lays four or five yellowish-white eggs, blotched with 

 black and brown. The sexes do not differ, but young birds want 

 the black collar. This species is easily distinguished from the Ring 

 Plover by its small size. 



An adult, natural size and well-figured, of the Dalmatian Nut- 



