SINGINa BIEDS. 



101 



Birds that sing as ihej fly are but few :- 



Skylark, 



Titlark, 



Woodlaik, 

 Blackbird, 



Whitethroat, 



Swallow, 

 Wren, 



Alauda vulgaris. 



Alauda pratoncm. 



Alauda arhorea. 

 Merula. 



J Rising, 

 [ falling. 



suspended, and 



In its descent ; also sitting 



on trees, and walking on 



the ground. 



r Suspended ; in hot sumnuer 



\ nights all night long. 



r Sometimes from bush to 



\ bush. 



r Uses, when singing on tbo 



Ficedidm affinis. • "wing, odd jerks and ges« 



(_ ticulations. 



ffirundo domesttca. In soft sunny weather. 



T> ^ J J t r Sometimes from bush to 



Passe}' troglodytes. A , , 



Birds that breed most early in these parts : 



Raven, 



Song-thrush, 

 Blackbird, 



Rook, 



Woodlark, 



Ringdove, 



Co'vus. 



Turdus. 



Merida. 



Comix frugilega. 

 Alauda arhorea. 



J Hatches in February and 

 \ March, 



In March. 



In March. 

 J Builds the beginning of 

 \ March. 



Hatches in April. 



[ Palumbus torqua- [ ^ ^u v • • r a i 

 ■< . ^ < Lays the beginning of April 



AH birds that continue in full song till after midsummer, 

 appear to me to breed more than once. 



Most kinds of birds seem to me to be wild and shy, some- 

 what in proportion to their bulk : I mean in this island, 

 where they are much pursued and annoyed ; but in Ascen- 

 sion Island, and many other desolate places, mariners have 

 found fowls so unacquainted with a human figure, that they 

 would stand still to be taken, as is the case with boobies, 

 &c. As an example of what is advanced, I remark that the 

 golden-crested wren, (the smallest British bird,) -will stand 

 unconcerned till you come within three or four yards of it, 

 while the bustard {otis,) the largest British land fowl, does 

 not care to admit a person within so many furlongs. 



