SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 
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Lizards, &c. &c. Its flight is low and smooth, and seldom long-continued. It 
seizes its prey on the ground. The nest is found in lofty trees, and its four white 
eggs are spotted with brown. The sexes are similar, but the young birds undergo 
many changes of plumage. 
Western Pochard, Fuligula dispar , Steph. —A beautiful figure, natural size. 
One specimen has been killed in England (in Norfolk), and one on the continent 
(in Denmark), and these are the only two instances of its occurrence in Europe. 
It inhabits Northern Asia, Siberia, Kamtschatka, and the north-western coasts 
of America. It breeds on precipitous rocks, and i flies in considerable numbers. 
Our author follows Mr. Selby in ranking this species as a Fuligula , but at the 
same time thinks that it more properly belongs to Somateria. Neither Mr. 
Gould nor Mr. Selby have seen a specimen of this bird—no more have we, and 
we shall, therefore, not venture an opinion touching the affinities of the species, 
content to leave it for the present as the Western Pochard. 
Whin Linnet, Linaria cannabina , Grosbec linotte, Fr. —Montanello mag- 
giore, It. —Blut Hanfling, G. —A male and female are figured perched upon a 
Furze-branch : the former is truly lovely. Dispersed over the whole of Europe. 
The changes of plumage which it undergoes are now well understood by orni¬ 
thologists. 
Carrion Crow, Corvus cor one ,—Corneille noire, Fr. —Corvo maggiore. It. — 
Krahen Rabe, G. —We think this figure—of the natural size—could hardly be 
surpassed: indeed we should be fully satisfied with its equal. Common and 
indigenous with us, and dispersed equally in the western portion of the European 
continent. There are no changes of plumage to be noted, and we will not run 
the risk of offending his reverence or our readers by giving any account of his 
economy, either public or private. 
Moustache Tern, Sterna leucopareia ,—Hirondelle-de-mer moustac, Fr. — 
The plate represents a male, of the natural size, in full dress —not for the 
drawing-room, but ready to wing its airy course o'er the “ wild unbounded sea.” 
Whether or not the figure is characteristic, is, in this instance, more than we can 
say, not having seen the bird. It has been met with on the marshes of Hungary 
and the coast of Dalmatia; it appears to prefer extensive inland marshes to the 
ocean, and is in Europe almost confined to the eastern portions. Feeds on winged 
insects, Snails, Worms, &c. Young birds are known by their reddish-brown 
heads, and in winter the same part—at other times black—becomes white in 
adults. 
Moustached Reedling, Salicaria melanopogon ,—Becfin a-moustaches-noires, 
Fr. —An adult male is prettily represented, on the wing. Abounds in the 
marshes of the Roman States, among Arundo speciosa. “ It is always in the 
marshes, clinging to the Rushes and uttering a very loud cry; it descends to the 
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