256 SKETCHES OP EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Fr. — Avoltojo aquilino. It. The representations, of an adult and a 

 young bird, half the natural size, are exceedingly good. One indi- 

 vidual has been met with in this country, in Somersetshire, and 

 another bird was observed with it. But, as Mr. Gould justly ob- 

 serves, " the circumstance of this individual coming so far north, 

 must be attributed entirely to accident, its native habitat being ex- 

 clusively the southern provinces of Europe, and the adjoining dis- 

 tricts of Asia and Africa. Like the rest of its family, it is one of 

 Nature's scavengers, being ever on the search for carrion and putrid 

 offal, upon which it greedily feeds, seldom, if ever, attacking living 

 prey." Builds in the loftiest pinnacles of rocks ; of the eggs no- 

 thing is known. The sexes are similar, the whole plumage, except 

 the greater quill-feathers, being white. The young, on the contra- 

 ry, which only attain the adult livery after various gradual changes, 

 are almost entirely black. 



Fork-tailed Petrel, Thalassidroma Leachii — Petrel de Leach, Fr. 

 The discovery of this bird in Europe is due to Mr. Bullock, who 

 found it breeding in St. Kilda in 1818. It has since been found on 

 various parts of the British coast. Its habits, food, and nidification, 

 strictly resemble those of the Stormy Petrel. It differs, however, 

 from the rest of the genus in being one of the largest, in having a 

 forked tail, and remarkably short tarsi. 



Stormy Petrel, Thalassidroma pelagica — Petrel tempete, Fr. — 

 Ungewilter Sturmvogel, G. A figure of the adult of this species 

 and the preceding are given on the same plate, of the natural size. 

 Both are excellent. This bird is " abundant over the whole of the 

 northern seas of Europe, especially in the rocky islands of Scotland, 

 where it breeds in the crevices of rocks, generally laying a single 

 egg, of a pure white." It is a considerable time before the young 

 are able to follow their parents. 



Redpoll Linnet, Linaria minor — Grosbec sizerin, Fr. — Monta- 

 nello minore. It. — Berg Zeisig, G. An adult male and female are 

 represented, with a very happy effect. This bird is a jiative of the 

 northern portions of Britain, and of all the higher latitudes of the 

 continent ; in autumn it migrates to the south of England and Eu- 

 rope generally. It is gregarious, being often found in company 

 with Siskins and other Linnets. It subsists entirely on seeds, espe- 

 cially those of the Alder, Hazel, and Willow, resorting, in search of 

 these, to low swampy grounds, and the borders of lakes and rivers. 

 " The song, though not loud, is, nevertheless, simple and agree- 

 able." The Redpoll breeds in abundance in Scotland and the north 

 of Europe. The nest, which is neat and compact, is situated in any 



