S6 ON THE GEOGRAPHY OF ANIMALS. 



are several others, altogether peculiar to Italy, Spain, 

 Sicily, and Sardinia. Here, also, the common starling 

 is scarcely known ; but its place is filled by another 

 species, the Sturnus unicolorT., hitherto found more par- 

 ticularly in Sardinia. There are two species of bustard 

 {Dtis Tetrao and Houhara), which belong more espe- 

 cially to Southern Europe, where the Otis tarda is un- 

 known. The rocky and uncultivated wastes of Spain, 

 Turkey, and Asia Minor, are inhabited by two species 

 of rock grouse (Pferoc/e*), of a genus different from those 

 belonging to northern latitudes. The beautiful wall 

 creeper (^Tichodroma phcenicoptera Tem.), with its 

 bright rosy wings, is confined to the southern extremity 

 of the Alps, and the rocks of Spain and Italy ; while 

 large flocks of the bee-eater {Merops apiaster L.) 

 skim over the gardens and olive plantations of Southern 

 Italy and Sicily, in every direction, during the spring 

 and autumnal migrations. The golden oriole, the roller, 

 and the hoopoe, at such seasons, are no less common; 

 and we have frequently seen them exposed for sale, with 

 many other birds — rare in Central Europe — in the 

 poulterers' shops of Messina and Palermo. The union 

 of the European, African, and Asiatic ornithology on 

 the shores of the Mediterranean, is further proved by 

 the wading and aquatic tribes. The pelican, the spoon- 

 bill, and the flamingo, are stiU to be met with in these 

 countries, although now less plentiful, from the great 

 attraction which their large size possesses for the sports- 

 man. Our researches in these countries have enabled us to 

 contribute a noble addition to the birds of Europe, in 

 the Ardea pavonia L., or coronated crane, several of 

 •which were captured in the small island of Lampidosa 

 in 1812, and brought to Malta ahve. 



(51.) On the insects and other annulose animals, 

 our limits will not permit us to dilate, although, perhaps, 

 these classes supply more interest to the philosophic 

 naturaUst than any other. A bare enumeration of the 

 genera alone would almost fill a volume. Suffice it to 

 say, that the entomology of Southern Europe is emi- 



