14 
SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 
Common Partridge, but is without difficulty preserved on private estates, where 
it is extremely ornamental. The female lays from fifteen to eighteen eggs, orange 
yellow, freckled all over with red. “ The young before the second moult have 
their plumage striated somewhat after the manner of the young of the Common 
species, but by the end of October this colouring is exchanged for the trans¬ 
versely-marked plumage of the adult: the old birds of both sexes are so nearly 
alike in the colouring and markings, that were it not for the blunt spur, which 
always forms an appendage to the male, it would be difficult to distinguish 
them.” We majr observe that the Redlegged Partridge is considerably more 
ornamental than the Common Partridge, but that its flesh is inferior. It is 
further said that the latter disappears wherever the other is introduced,—with 
what truth we know not. 
Speckled Kingfisher, Alcedo rudis ,—Martinpecheur pie, Fr. — The plate 
figures, very beautifully, a pair of these birds, natural size. To those who are 
only acquainted with our own brilliant-plumaged Kingfisher, the species under 
consideration would scarcely appear like a member of the same genus. Inhabits 
Asia and Africa, being abundant “ on the banks of the Nile and the other rivers 
of Egypt, as also those of Syria and the adjacent countriesit has likewise lately 
been discovered in the islands of the Grecian Archipelago. Nothing further is 
recorded of its economy than that it feeds on fishes, and lays white eggs. The 
female and young have only one black band on the breast, while the male has two. 
Common Flamingo, Fhoenicopterus ruber , — Flammant, Fr. — An adult and a 
young bird, half the living size, are given, in an admirable manner. Both 
figures are in the most finished style, but at the same time bold and natural. 
The plate is by Lear. It is not certain whether this species occurs in America; 
if it does, it is met with in all the warmer parts of the continents of Europe, 
Asia, Africa, and America. It frequents marshy and watery places, wading a 
conside'fable distance from the land in search of food, which its singularly long 
neck and legs enable it easily to do. It subsists on molluscs, the fry of fish, 
&c. In collecting food the upper mandible is placed downwards, as partially 
represented in one of the figures in the plate. It lives in small flocks, is very 
shy, and flies rapidly, “ the troop assuming a wedge-shaped form.” “ Temminck 
states that it erects among the morasses an elevated mound of mud and earth, on 
the top of which, in a slight depression, the female deposits her eggs, placing 
herself astride to cover them, the great length of her limbs precluding the possi¬ 
bility of her assuming the usual position : the eggs are said to be two in number, 
of an oblong form and of a pure white.” The young before the first moult are 
grey: as they approach maturity they gradually assume the scarlet and white 
livery. They are four years in attaining their “majority.” The sexes are 
