EOSE-COLOUEED PASTOE. 253 



sorting together in small parties during every month 

 of the year^ and whilst some are feeding their first 

 brood, others in parties of eight or ten may be seen still 

 roving about, free from and apparently indiiferent to 

 parental duties. The same thing is however observable 

 in many other gregarious species. Flocks of sparrows 

 still frequent our farm premises, whilst others are busy 

 nesting, and even in the middle of May I have found 

 skylarks congregated together, and paired couples, at the 

 same time, tending their recently hatched young ones. 

 From these, and other observations on the habits of sea- 

 birds as well, to which I shall hereafter refer in treating 

 of the gull tribe, I have come to the conclusion, that 

 amongst birds as in the human race, there are some 

 individuals for whom an independent existence has 

 greater charms than a wedded life, and whether the 

 summer flocks I have just alluded to, are composed 

 indiscriminately of spinsters and bachelors, or consist, 

 with more propriety, of but one sex, there is little doubt 

 that a portion at least of the feathered tribe are exempt 

 from the obligation to " increase and multiply." Pure 

 white and other varieties are occasionally met with. 



PASTOR ROSEUS (Linn^us). 



EOSE-COLOUEED PASTOE. 



This beautiful species, as will be seen by the follow- 

 ing list of specimens, has occurred in many instances 

 in this county, but although appearing with a strange 

 regularity between 1853 and 1856, 1 know of no examples, 

 either seen or procured during the last nine years. It is 

 noticeable, also, from the subjoined records, that these 

 birds usually visit us in autumn, appearing singly and in 

 various stages of plumage ; but occasionally a straggler 



