WILLIAM TURNER. 341 
Kites in England, the like of which I have seen nowhere else. 
Our own birds are much larger than the German birds, more 
clamorous, more tending towards whiteness, and much greedier. 
For such is the audacity of our Kites, that they dare to snatch 
bread from children, fish from women, and handkerchiefs from 
off hedges and out of men’s hands. They are accustomed to 
carry off caps from off men’s heads when they are building their 
nests.” 
Another admirable specimen of Turner’s discriminating skill 
may be found in his lucid refutation of the absurd theory that: 
the Robin (Hrithacus rubecula) and the Common Redstart (Ruti- 
cilla phoenicurus) did not represent distinct species, but were in 
fact identical. Turner truthfully explains to us the woodland 
habits of the Redbreast in the nesting season, adding that he 
spoke from personal knowledge: ‘‘ Hec que nune scribo, admodum 
puer observavi.” He describes the dress of both sexes of the 
Redstart, its habit of nesting in holes in trees and crevices of 
walls, its characteristic actions, and much besides; concluding 
with the remark that while the Redstart disappears from Britain 
before the arrival of winter, Redbreasts can be found all through 
the year, though it is not until the end of autumn, when the 
young Robins have almost entirely acquired the red plumage of 
the breast, that these birds withdraw from their summer haunts 
into the towns and villages. Again, he surprises us with the 
statement that he knew white Herons (Ardea) to occur in 
England in rare instances; but, ever anxious to guard against 
any misconception, he shrewdly points out that such white birds 
as he is referring to belonged to no foreign species of Heron, but 
agreed with their blue companions in every particular except 
their absence of coloration. 
Had such a statement been made by anyone except Turner, 
we should at once have jumped to the conclusion that the 
so-called “‘ white’? Herons were neither more nor less than 
Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia); but in the present case the 
suggestion is mentioned only to be dismissed. For, in the first 
place, Turner was well acquainted with the Spoonbill as a British 
bird. It may well have been upon the authority of Turner that 
Gesner wrote that the Spoonbill (‘‘Platea nostra”) ‘‘is captured 
in England on the shore of the sea, and when kept in confine- 
