34 



NOTES ON BIRDS. 



different kinds have laid aside those ties which connected them by sexual intercourse, 

 nothing is more common than to see a whole troop of the blue, marsh, cole, and long- 

 tailed titmice, accompanied with a host of golden-crested wrens, and perhaps a 

 solitary creeper, proceed in the manner here mentioned, and regularly follow each 

 other, as if in a laid-out path. An alarm may cause a temporary digression of some 

 of the troop, but these are soon perceived making up their way to the main body. The 

 whole may be found out and traced by their various and constantly reiterated cries." 

 Vol. I. page 43. Note. 



Sir William does not often venture upon anatomical physiology ; but 



the following is an interesting scrap : — 



" There is," says he, *' a curious structure in the covering of the nostrils in most 

 birds ; where there is any addition to the horny substance, it is composed either of 

 fine bristles, or hairs, or of narrow feathers closely spread together. In the gold-crests 

 it consists of a single plumelet on each side, the webs diverging widely." Vol. L 

 p. 128. Note. 



Our Author is more at home in describing the habits and manners 

 of birds. Speaking of Wilson's admirable account of the blue bird 

 (Saxicola sialis, Buonaparte,) he says, 



" The very habits of our European Saxicola are here described ; they invariably seek 

 the summit of some elevation, a hillock, a stone, a bush, or some of the taller wild 

 plants, and if occasionally on a tree, the topmost branch is always preferred; there 

 they perch, uttering their monotonous call, which increases in anxiety and frequency 

 as we approach the nest, or the young before they are able to fly ; or they alight at 

 intervals, run for some distance, and again remount to a fresh station. When not 

 annoyed they retain the same elevated situations, looking out for food, taking the 

 insects seldom on the wing, but generally by a sudden spring; or leaping down, return 

 immediately with the prey in their bill, where it is retained for a few minutes, while 

 they repeat their uniform note. The young, as soon as they are able to fly, have the 

 same manners with their parents ; and at the season when they are first on the wing, 

 some extensive commons have appeared almost entirely in motion with our common 

 species." Vol. I. p. 61. Note. 



But though we have got over little more than a hundred pages, our 

 space forbids us to proceed further at present. We shall, however, 

 take an early opportunity of returning to Sir William's highly-inter* 

 esting notes. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE EUROPEAN PLUMED GNATS 



(Corethra, Panzer.) 



BY J. W. ME I GEN, OF STOLBERG.* 



Generic Characteristics. — The antennse stretched forward, 

 thread-shaped, with fourteen joints ; in the male with plumed whirls, 



* Translated from the German work, Europ'dischen Zweijiugbligen Imekten, by 

 Jacob Dixon, Esq. 



