384 WH E A T-E A R. Cass II. 



the beginning of May. we have obferved that the 

 females arrive about a fortnight before the males. 

 They frequent warrens, downs, and the edges of 

 hills, efpecially thofe that are fenced with ftone 

 walls. They breed in the latter, in old rabbet 

 burrows, chffs, and frequently under old timber : 

 their neft is large, made of dried grafs, rabbet's 

 down, a few feathers, and horfc hair : and they lay 

 from fix to eight eggs, of a light blue color. 



They grow very fat in autumn, and are efteem- 

 ed a delicacy. About Eaftbourn in Stijfex they are 

 taken by the ftepherds in great numbers, in fnares 

 made of horfe hair, placed under a long turf- be- 

 ing very timid birds, the motion of a cloud, or the 

 appearance of a hawk, will drive them for ftelter 

 into thole traps, and fo they are taken. The num- 

 bers annually enfnared in that diltrict alone, a- 

 mount to about 1840 dozen, which fell ufuall'v at 

 hx.pence/«- dozen ; and what appears very extra- 

 ordinary, the numbers that return the following 

 year do not appear to be leffened ; as we are 

 affured by a very intelligent perfon refident near 

 that place. The reafon that fuch a quantity are ta- 

 ken in the neighbourhood of Eaftbourn is, that it 

 abounds wuh a certain /j which frequents the ad- 

 jacent hills, for the fake of the wild thyme they are 

 covered with, which is not only a favorite food of 

 that m.ca, but the plant on which it depofues its 

 eggs .' 



Wheat-ears are much fatter in a rainy feafon than 



a dry 



