SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 263 



fine songster. Its habits bear a considerable resemblance to those 

 of the Green Siskin (Carduelis spinus). " The female is rather 

 less in size, and her colours are not so vivid as in the male." 



Willow Ptarmiganj Lagopus saliceti — Tetras des saules, Fr. — 

 Weisse Waldhuhn, G. Easily distinguislied from the Common 

 Ptarmigan by its superior size, and the rufous tinge of the summer 

 plumage. The changes of plumage are as in the other species. The 

 figures, of adults in different states of attire, size of life, are quite to 

 our liking. Inhabits the north of Europe, becoming gradually less 

 abundant towards the south, frequenting the mountainous districts. 

 Feeds " during summer on the tender shoots and buds of Heath, 

 together with berries of Alpine plants : in winter, when the face of 

 the country is covered with snow, it burrows beneath the surface, 

 and feeds on the scanty herbage, the buds of the dwarf Willow, and 

 whatever vegetable food it can obtain." Builds on the ground, 

 among tufts of herbage ; the eggs, from six to ten in number, much 

 resemble those of the Common Ptarmigan, but are, as might be an- 

 ticipated, larger. The sexes resemble each other : the first plumage 

 of the young is coloured, which at the autumn moult is exchanged 

 for white." 



Rock Swallow, Hirimdo rupestris — Hirondelle de rocher, Fr.—^ 

 Hirundo cauda-non-furcata. It. The representations, of a male and 

 female, appear to be very good. Abundant in the south of Europe. 

 It is larger than our Sand Swallow, which in plumage it much re- 

 sembles. The tail of this bird, as the Italian synonym we have 

 quoted attests, is not forked. It builds in the holes of rocks ; the 

 eggs, five or six, are white, with minute dots. Its food and general 

 habits are similar to those of H. riparia. The sexes do not differ. 



Pied Chat, Saxicola leticomela — Traquet leucomele, Fr. Is abun- 

 dant in the north of Europe, and although little is known of its 

 liabits, these are probably similar to those of its congeners. " Tera- 

 minck informs us that so exclusively boreal is this species, that it is 

 never seen in temperate climates ; which leads us to infer that Si- 

 beria, Ujjpcr Tartary, and the most northern portions of Asia, will 

 prove to be countries of which Nature has destined this bird to be a 

 native." Those parts which are black in the male are brown in the 

 female. A very fair figure of an adult male, natural size, is given. 



Glossy Ibis, Ibis fulcbicllus — Ibis falcinelle, Fr. — Chiurlo, //. — 

 Sichelschnabliger Nimmersat, G. This is the only Ibis occurring 

 in Europe, where it inhabits the southern and temperate regions, but 

 is very rarely found in England or Holland ; is abundant along the 

 course of the Nile, and in the adjacent provinces of Africa. Feeds, 



