72 NATURAL HISTORY IBitds. 



besides its make is more slender and longer than the 

 other. 



Species 4. — The Wheat-Ear. 



Wheat-Ear, Fallow-Smitch, White-Tail, Wil. Orn. 233. Rail Syn. Av. 75. 

 MotaciUa Oenauthe, Lin. Sys. 332. Brit. Zool. 269- Ore. Chack. 



This is a migratory bird, but stays with us till the end of har- 

 vest; goes off in winter, but to what place I am unacquainted. 

 The country people tell us they are sleepers, and have been 

 found in a torpid state in the winter season in old walls, under 

 great stones, &c. ; however this is, they entirely disappear, 

 and revisit us in April. They build in old walls, either stone 

 or earth, under stones, and such like places ; make a large 

 nest of straws, grass, and line it with horse-hair ; lay a number 

 of eggs, (generally six), of a bluish-green colour, large for the 

 size of the bird. They are very solicitous for their young ; 

 make a great deal of chattering when one is near the nest ; 

 live on insects, which they are very nimble in catching, worms 

 of all kinds, but no grain, as far as I have observed. 



The j'oung follow their parents while they are here ; do not 

 acquire their true colours for the first year ; are much spotted 

 about the head and breast ; the black stroke on the eye does 

 not appear as in old birds ; and they have a general gray 

 appearance, except the tail, which is black, and the rump 

 white, by which they may easily be known. 



