SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 
65 
Pkalaropus , in two figures each, illustrative of the peculiarities of the Summer- 
and Winter-plumage in the first, or Grey Phalarope, Pkalaropus platyrhynchus , 
*—Phalarope platyrhinque, Fr.; and of its sexual diversities in the second , or 
Red-necked PhaCarope, Ph. Hyperboreus ,—Ph. Hyperbore, Fr. —Gemeiner und 
Rothalsiger Wassertretter, in its young and adult age, of the Germans. The 
former is Ph. lobatus of Fleming; and the latter has been transferred, by Cuvier, 
to a new genus, under the name of Lobipes Hyperborea. The separation of birds 
so nearly allied in structure and in habits as the two European Phalaropes, 
appears to us highly objectionable : and yet more so the designation Lobipes , by 
which Cuvier has sought to distinguish the newly-constituted genus. Is it right 
to select, as a ground of nomenclature for a new genus, a character not peculiar 
to the animal taken for the typical species; but exhibited by other species of the 
genus from which such animal has been separated? And is not the Grey 
Phalarope a lobe-footed bird; and has it not, on that very account, received, from 
Fleming, the specific designation lobatus ? Differences in the figure of the bill 
are the pretext advanced, by Cuvier, as justifying the proposed innovation. 
Why then not compound from the Greek or Latin, if a new genus there must 
needs be, a generic title for it, expressive of such peculiarity ? 
Black Tern, Sterna nigra ,—Hirondelle-de-mer epouvantail, Fr. —Sehwarz- 
graue, Schwarze, und Schwarzkehlige, Meerschwalbe, G. —has unluckily fallen 
into the hands of the reformers, and shared the fate, of divers of its predecessors. 
It is now Viralva nigra of Leach, —the black Viralv (!) of the Russell of 
ornithological reform.* We subjoin a sketch of the general characters of Viralva: 
Beak shorter than head, subulated, nearly straight, slightly compressed; tip a 
little inclined; upper mandible nearly straight. Nostrils oblong, ba^al. Wings 
long, tail slightly forked. Feet four-toed, slender: hind toe minute. Claws 
small. The 44 almost-square” figure of the tail appears, after all, to constitute 
the principal character of this newly-constructed, but crazy and ephemeral, 
genus. 
Yellow-headed Wagtail, Motacilla citreola ,—Bergeronette citrine, Fr .,—an 
indigene of Western-Asia, occasionally visiting the adjacent districts of Europe, 
exhibits the prolonged hind-toe; and should consequently belong to the new 
genus Budytes. The following is the marrow of Gould’s specific description of 
this rare and elegant bird: In size, inferior to M. flava and M. neglecta: dis¬ 
tinguished, in its Spring plumage, by the fine citron yellow of the vertex, cheeks, 
and whole under surface. A crescent-shaped black band across the occiput. 
Under plumage dark-ash colour, slightly tinged with grey. Middle and greater 
wing-coverts edged with white. Middle tail-feathers black: two external ones, 
* See Analyst , Yol. III., p.21L 
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VOL. V.==-NQ. XXXV, 
