on that, whilst the chancel shews another advance in the scale of lightness and beauty. Dugdale is our principal published authority for the dates of the different parts of the building; but he, even the learned and judicious Dugdale, is not always to be trusted on these matters of antiquity. For instance, he states that the transept was raised by the executors of Sir Hugh Clopton, at the end of the fifteenth century; but it is quite clear that most of this portion of the church is of coeval date with the tower, and the age of that has already been stated to be the end of the twelfth century. Some alterations or additions were probably made by the parties alluded to by the valuable Warwickshire historian. That there was a large church of coeval date with the transept and tower is more than probable; and it is equally reasonable to suppose that it occupied the site and area of the present building. Belonging to the see of Worcester from the Saxon times to the year 1337, and having a monastic establishment connected with it, we may infer that this, like most other religious edifices similarly circumstanced, was large, well built, and of fine character. Either from fire or from warfare, it could not have remained perfect many years, for in the time of Edward I., about 1280, the present north aisle is said to have been built; and it is recorded that John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury, bought the whole church in the tenth of Edward III., A. D. 1337, and appropriated it towards endowing a chantry which he had founded in the south aisle about five years before. It is also related that he soon afterwards re-built that aisle. The fine turret staircase at the S. W. angle of the nave is probably part of his work. At the east end are remains of the chantry, in niches and picina, inserted in the wall, traces of the altar, &c. Some of the windows are of beautiful proportions and tracery. The nave is lofty, light, and, in its pristine state, must have been elegant. On a series of six arches on each side is raised a clerestory, forming almost a continued window, both to the north and south; but more correctly speaking it exhibits a series of double windows, with a small pier between each compartment. That pier rises immediately over an hexagonal column, and each pier carries a principal beam, which forms an ornamental feature of a once highly enriched timber roof. A compartment of this roof, adjoining the tower, remains. At the west end is a large and highly ornamented window, over a spacious door-way. At the east end of the north aisle is a chantry chapel, filled with stately monuments to the Cloptons, and to George Carew, Earl of Totness, and his countess.

The most attractive and most interesting part of Stratford church is that now called THE CHANCEL, but designated by Dugdale the Queere. This was erected by Thomas Balshall, D. D., who was dean of the college from 1465 to 1491, and who is interred within an altar tomb on the N. side of the high altar. Though not equal in simple beauty and solidity to the architecture which prevailed during the reign of Henry III, and Edward I., or to the more enriched and fanciful styles of Edwards II. and III. and Richard II., it exhibits an unity, harmony, and symmetry, which cannot fail to please the eye of the architect. It should be borne in mind that its large and numerous windows were originally intended for richlystained glass; thus throwing "a dim, religious light" into the sacred apartment. Now, on the contrary, these have common, thin glass, and the whole interior surface of the walls and ceiling are covered with lime-wash-glaring to the eye, and offensive to true taste. The ceiling is flat and badly plastered; the side walls are stained and disfigured; the pavement is uneven and broken; and part of the area is occupied by pews. A common German stove, with iron shaft, piercing one of the windows, and other similar improprieties, are allowed to disfigure and disgrace this once beautiful and always interesting apartment. Several flat grave stones cover the remains of the Shakspeares, whilst an architectural monument, with a bust of the poet, is attached to the north wall, adjoining the spot where the immortal dramatist was interred. To construct a new roof, in a style and character adapted to the general design of the building, and to restore that building to its original purity and beauty, are objects now contemplated by a committee at Stratford, and another committee in London. Designs have been made by Mr. Eginton, architect, of Worcester, and about £800 have been subscribed, in one pounds, towards effecting this object. The work will be commenced immediately; and it is proposed to adorn the roof with the armorial bearings of such noblemen and gentlemen as may wish to have their family blazonings thus recorded in connection with the place, and with the greatest poet that ever lived to dignify and exalt the human race.

271

SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY.

GOULD'S "BIRDS OF EUROPE."

THIRD PART.

PLATE I.-The Jer-Falcon,-Falco Islandicus,-Faucon Gerfaut, Fr.,-Sparvière bianco di Moscovia, It.,-der Islandische Falke, G.,-constitutes the noble subject of this plate. Two figures, illustrative of the striking varieties of plumage in the young and adult, are admirably represented. From the observations of Mr. Gould, it appears probable that, under the common designation of Jer-falcon, two distinct species have hitherto been confounded. One of these, the true Jer-falcon of Iceland,-Faucon d'Islande, Fr. ?is regarded, by Falconers, as a much more rare, courageous, rapidlyflying, and valuable bird, than the other,-Gerfaut de Norwege,? -commonly obtained from Norway. They are said to differ, also, in the comparative length of wing with respect to the tail. The Jer-falcon is the type of the true Falcons, and, consequently, of the genus, Falco, as constituted by modern ornithologists. It is a native of northern Europe, and occasionally visits the Orkney and Shetland isles. An accurate figure of this noble bird is given, by Werner, in Plate V. of the Atlas des Oiseaux d'Europe, and an interesting account, by Swainson and Richardson, in vol. ii, p. 27, of the Fauna Boreali-Americana.* The question respecting the specific identity, or difference, of the birds obtained from Iceland and Norway, is well entitled to the attention of ornithologists.

PLATE II.-The Azure-winged Mag-pie,-Pica cyanea, or more correctly, cyanoptera. This rare and elegant bird, a native of Spain, has not hitherto been described by Temminck, nor any other European ornithologist with whose works we are acquainted, except Wagler, in his Systema Avium. It strongly resembles its lively, impudent, and more common congener, in structure and habits. The following is the specific description, as traced by Gould; whose figure of the bird is as correctly drawn as splendidly coloured: Beak and legs black. Vertex, occiput, and ear-coverts, black, with shining violet reflections. Back and rump ashy rosecolour. Throat white. Under surface same as, but a few shades lighter than, the back. Wings and tail delicate azure-blue: primaries, excepting the first two, which are black, white on outer

web about half the length from tip. Tail graduated; each feather tipped with white. Length 12-14 inches. Sexual diversity, none. PLATE III.-The Squacco Heron,-Ardea comata (―ralloides, Scopoli, castanea, Gmelin),-Héron crabier, Fr.,-Sgarza cuifetto, It.,-Rallen Reiher, G. An adult male, figured with extraordinary truth and delicacy. From the long, slender, and hair-like plumes which decorate the vertex of this rare visitant of the British islands, the specific designation, comata, is rendered peculiarly applicable. Its habits resemble those of its congeners. Of its nidifi

cation, little is, at present, known.

PLATE IV. exhibits three exquisitely drawn figures, one illustrative of a newly distinguished species, of British Regulus. The first of these is the Fire-Crested Wren,-R. ignicapillus,-long known and recognized, in south Europe, as a distinct species; but overlooked in Britain, or confounded with its paler-crested congener. We have, ourselves, frequently remarked the difference of colour in the vertex of these two birds; but were induced to consider it as merely a sexual diversity. The honour of the discovery is due to the Rev. L. Jenyns. Our little stranger, closely resembling the common species, in size, habits, food, and nidification, is principally distinguished by the fiery colour of the crest, a more decidedly golden lustre of the sides of the neck and top of the back, and the alternate stripes of white and black, which occupy the sides of the face both above and below the eye. It is the Roitelet triple-bandeau (Sylvia ignicapilla), of Temminck ;-Varietät der goldhahnchens, of the Germans; but not noticed in the last edition of Selby's Illustrations. Figure Second. Golden-crested Wren,-Regulus auricapillus,-vulgaris, of Cuvier,-Sylvia-, Motacilla regulus, of older writers,-le Roitelet ordinaire, Fr.,-Regolo, It.,-Gekrönter Sanger, G. A male and female specimen.

PLATE V.—the Pine Grosbeak,-Corythus enucleator (Pyrrhula, and Loxia enucleator, of Temminck and of Linnæus),-Bouvreuil dur-bec, Fr.,-Ciufolotto snocciolatore, It.,-Haaken Kernbeisser, G. This beautiful bird, formerly arranged among the bull-finches, exhibits, in Cuvier's opinion, characters sufficiently decided to justify the institution of a new genus. Corythus forms the connecting link between Pyrrhula and Loxia; resembling the former in its haunts, habits, and style of colouring;—the latter, in the construction of its beak. The Generic characters are: Beak short, hard, thick; everywhere rounded, and slightly hooked at the point. Nostrils basal, linear, rounded, and covered with thickly-set, hairlike feathers. Tarsi short. Toes entirely divided. Wings longer

than in Pyrrhula. Tail moderate, and slightly forked. Its natural habitation is the Arctic circle, and the extensive pine-forests of the north its food, the seeds of the pine-cone, and wild berries. It is merely an occasional visitant of Britain. An adult male and female are the subjects of the plate before us. The female is admirably figured at p. 262 of vol. ii. of Northern Zoology; and the male and female delineated, and described, by Wilson, and Bonaparte, in vol. i. and iii. of Jardine's Edition of American Ornithology.

PLATE VI.-The Waxen Chatterer,-Bombycivora garrula.The genus Bombycivora, or Bombycilla, as now constituted, comprehends three species: the American Cedar-Bird,—B. Americana, vel Carolinensis; the Red-winged Chatterer,-B. phænicoptera,discovered, in Japan, by the ill-fated Siebold, and figured in Temminck's Planches Coloriées; and the beautiful subject of the present plate,-Grand-Jaseur, Fr.,-Garrulo di Bohemia, It.,-Europaischer oder Rothlichgrauer Seidenschwantz, G.,—an inhabitant of the Arctic regions, and a rare visitant of the British islands. The curious wax-like appendages, which ordinarily adorn the tips of the secondary quills, and constitute one of the distinguishing characteristics of the genus, do not invariably exist. They are not represented in Temminck's figure of B. phænicoptera.

PLATE VII.-The Red-breasted Merganser,-Mergus serrator, -Harle huppé, Fr.,-Mergo oca di lungo becco, It.,-Langschnabeliger Sager, G. An elegant bird, finely illustrated by figures of the adult male and female. The only one of the four British species of the genus which lives throughout the year, and breeds, in these islands. What connection the spurious Latin term, Serrator, literally signifying, if it possess any meaning at all, a sawyer, can have with this beautiful aquatic bird, we are quite at a loss to imagine. It is high time all these revolting mummeries were swept, with an indignant hand, from the fair face of science, which they serve only to disfigure and obscure. The proper designation of this hitherto misnamed bird is obviously Mergus rubecula.

PLATE VIII. contains figures of two species of Pyrgita, executed with equal taste, and fidelity of outline and colouring. The First is the Spanish Sparrow, P. Hispaniolensis,-Gros-bec Espagnol, Fr.;-the Second, the Alpine,-P. Cisalpina,-Gros-bec Cisalpin, Fr., Passer volgare, of Italian ornithologists. In their external characters, these birds closely resemble our domestic sparrow, of which they are congeners; but differ much in their haunts. Of their habits and nidification, little is known.

PLATE IX.-A splendid drawing of the Long-legged Plover, or,

VOL. IV.NO. XVI.

V