84 ORNITHOLOGICAL R.UIBLES. 



colour in each; the back of the male being 

 scarcely darker than that of the female during 

 the summer, which now assumes a still paler 

 grey. Young birds of both sexes resemble the 

 latter. 



About the middle of August there is a general 

 move towards the sea-coast, and these birds now 

 first appear to become gregarious. 



At this season I have frequently noticed them 

 in considerable numbers on village commons and 

 similar localities in the interior of the county, 

 where tlie}^ remain but a few days, making way 

 for fresh detachments, which, in their turn, pur- 

 sue the same route towards the south. About the 

 latter end of the n:ionth, or in the beginning of 

 September, an early riser, visiting the fields in 

 the neighbourhood of the coast, may observe them 

 flying invariably from west to east, parallel with 

 the shore, and following each other in constant 

 succession. These flights continue from daylight 

 until about ten o'clock in the forenoon; and it is 

 a remarkable fact, that so steadily do they pursue 

 this course, and so pertinacious are they in ad- 

 hering to it, that even a shot fired at an advancing 

 party, and the death of more than one individual, 

 have failed to induce the remainder to fly in a 

 different direction ; for, after opening to the right 

 and left, their ranks have aixain closed, and the 



