90 NATURAL HISTORY 
their appearance at spring and fall, in their way, 
perhaps, to the north or south, and was much pleas. 
ed to see three birds about the usual spot. We 
shot a cock and a hen; they were plump and in 
high condition. In their crops was nothing very 
distinguishable, but somewhat that seemed like 
blades of vegetables nearly digested. In autumn 
they feed on haws and yew-berries, and in the spring 
on ivy-berries. I dressed one of these birds, and 
found it juicy and well flavoured. It is remarkable 
that they make but a few days’ stay in their spring 
visit, but rest near a fortnight at Michaelmas. 
These birds, from the observations of three springs 
and two autumns, are most punctual in their return, 
and exhibit a new migration unnoticed by the wri- 
ters, who supposed they never were to be seen in 
any of the southern counties. 
One of my neighbours lately brought me a new 
salicaria, which at first I suspected might have 
proved your willow-lark,* but on a nicer examina- 
tion it answered much better to the description of 
that species which you shot at Revesby, in Lincoln. 
shire. My bird I describe thus: “It is a size less 
than the grasshopper-lark; the head, back, and 
covert of the wings of a dusky brown, without those 
dark spots of the grasshopper-lark ; over each eye 
is a milk-white stroke; the chin and throat are 
white, and the under parts of a yellowish white ; 
the feathers of the tail sharp pointed; the bill is 
dusky and sharp, and the legs are dusky, the hinder 
claw long and crooked.”+ The person that shot 
* For this salicaria, see Letter XXV., p. 81. 
+ Sylvia phragmites, Bechst., Sedge-warbler.—SELBy’s Ore 
nith.—W. J. 
