The Hunting Wasps 



lacking: Spain, Southern Italy, the Mediter- 

 ranean islands and Africa. This is the sea- 

 son for brave sport with the gun and for 

 dainty roasts of small birds. 



The first to arrive is the Shore-lark, or, as 

 he is called in these parts, the Creoti. 

 August is hardly here before we see him ex- 

 ploring the pebbly fields, in search of the 

 little seeds of setaria, an ill weed that over- 

 runs our tilled soil. At the least alarm, he 

 flies away with a harsh clattering in his throat 

 which is not badly represented by his Pro- 

 vencal name. He is soon followed by the 

 Whin-chat, who preys placidly on small 

 Weevils, Locusts and Ants in the old lucern- 

 fields. With him begins the long line of 

 small winged things, the glory of the spit. 

 It is continued, when September comes, by 

 the most famous of them, the Common 

 Wheat-ear, or White-tail, extolled by all who 

 are able to appreciate his exalted qualities. 

 No Beccafico of the Roman epicures, immor- 

 talized in Martial's epigrams, ever equalled 

 the exquisite, scented ball of fat that is the 

 Wheat-ear, grown shamefully stout on glut- 

 tonous living. He is an unbridled devourer 

 of every kind of insect. The notes which I 

 have taken as a sportsman and naturalist bear 

 242 



