264 SKETCHES OK EUROPEAN ORNlTHOIiOGY. 



like its congeners, on Worms, Slugs, Lizards, fresh-water moUusca, 

 and aquatic vegetables. " The graceful proportions of this bird, the 

 elegance of its actions, together with the resplendent lustre of its 

 plumage, render it one of the most interesting of the Waders ; and 

 we regret that our knowledge of its habits and manners is so imper- 

 fect that of its nidification and eggs we can give no certain informa- 

 tion." The sexes are similar ; the young birds are dusky before the 

 second or third year. A very fine figure of an adult male, three- 

 fourths of the natural size, is given. 



Lesser Woodpecker, Picus minor — epichette, Fr. — Picchio mi- 

 nore, //. — Kleinste Specht, G. Pretty figures, natural size, of an 

 adult male and female. This bird, as our author justly observes, is 

 the smallest of the European species, but is superior in size to some 

 found in other portions of the globe. The appellations lesser, mi- 

 nor, minore, and kleinste (least), are, therefore, erroneous, though it 

 would scarcely be worth while to alter the name. Is confined to 

 Europe, over the whole of which it extends, being found in parks, 

 w^oods, and orchards, where it climbs the trunks and branches of 

 trees with great agility. Mr. Gould says it is much commoner in 

 England, especially the south, than is generally supposed. In 

 spring it utters an oft-repeated single note, resembling that of the 

 Wryneck. Lays, in the holes of trees, four or five pure white eggs. 

 The crown of the head, which is scarlet in the male, is white in the 

 females. Young birds resemble the adults. 



Tufted Pochard, Fuligula cristata — Canard morillon, Fr. — Ana- 

 tra col-ciuflfo. It. — Rheier Ente, G. The plate represents a pair of 

 these birds, rather less than the natural size. Mr. Gould is pecu- 

 liarly successful in his illustrations of water birds, more especially 

 the Analidce, and the plate before us yields to none we have seen in 

 truth and beauty. The Tufted Pochard is a regular winter visitor 

 in Britain, distributing itself over our lakes, arms of the sea, &c., 

 being mostly seen in pairs, "repeatedly diving in search of food, 

 which is obtained exclusively at the bottom of the water, and con- 

 sists, for the most part, of various fresh-water shell-fish, Crustacea, 

 Worms, and mollusca ; to this food it occasionally adds vegetables. 

 On the approach of spring it retires northward to breed, and makes 

 the morasses and the unfrequented regions of the arctic circle an 

 asylum in which to rear its young. The range of its migrations 

 southward is very considerable. The Tufted Duck is brought to 

 the London market in considerable numbers during the winter." 

 The colours of the female are more dusky than those of the male ; 

 the young have no tuft on the head. 



