SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 491 
Prare XVIII. White Crane,—Grus leucogeranus,—la Grue 
leucogerane, Fr. A rare and splendid species, “ lately added to the 
European Fauna:” its native habitation, the northern and central 
parts of India; and, at present, seen only in eastern Europe. Dis- 
tinguishable from common species, by larger size, snow-white plu- 
mage, and longer bill. ood: frogs, ova of fishes, snails, Crusta- 
cea, and bulbous roots. ig. an adult. 
Pirate XIX. Schinz’s Sandpiper—TZringa Schinzii. This is 
the species so designated by Buonaparte,—not 7. Schinzi, of 
Brehm, which, on examination of specimens transmitted by that na- 
turalist himself, Gould believes to be merely a smaller variety of 7. 
variabilis. One specimen alone of the American bird, an accidental 
straggler, has yet been killed in Britain. Voic2 resembling, but 
more feeble than, that of Dunlin. Eggs: 4, smaller than those of 
congener, just mentioned; yellowish-grey, spotted with olive- or 
chestnut- brown. Fig. two, adult. 
Prats XX. Spur-winged Plover,—Pluvianus—olim Charadrius 
—spinosus,—le Pluvier armé, Fr. An Asiatic and African species ; 
inhabiting Russia, and occasionally visiting south and eastern parts of 
Europe. Distinguished from congeners, by spurred wing. Nidifi- 
cation: unknown. f%g.an adult male. 
Prare XXI. American Cuckoo,—Coccyzus Americanus,—le 
Coucou cendreillard, Fr. An occasional visitant of British islands. 
Four specimens only yet captured here: and first account of it given 
in Field-Naturalists’s Magazine. Following, the generic characters 
of this interesting member of the Cuckoo-Family: Bill, of moderate 
length, strong, arched ; culmen convex, base compressed. Nostrils 
basal, elongated. Wings short. Tail long, cuneiform. Tarsus and 
middle toe long and equal. In America, from the resemblance of its 
note to “cow,” it has acquired the popular designation of Cow-bird ; 
—in some states, Rain-crow, from becoming especially vociferous be- 
fore rain. Unlike its European congener, the Cow-bird constructs a 
nest, which is flat, simple, formed of a few dry sticks and grasses, 
much like that of common Dove; and assiduously rears its young. 
Eggs: 4—5, elongated oval, bright-green. Occasionally, however, 
the strong family-propensity to theft and fraud breaks out ; exhibited 
in the abstraction of the eggs from, or deposition of its own in, the 
nests of other birds. Fg. an adult. 
Pirate XXII. Swallow-tailed Kite,—Nauclerus furcatus,—la Mi- 
lan de la Caroline, #r. A native American ; two specimens only 
yet killed in Britain, Fully described by Wilson, Audubon, and 
