PERCHING BIRDS. 119 
were busily occupied in extracting the seeds from the 
berries of a group of alders in Rufford Park. I was 
riding near the trees when my attention was attracted 
by the birds rising from them. The action was a most 
singular one, for so simultaneous was the flight of the 
flock, and so exactly alike was the movement of each 
individual composing it, that it was just as if all were 
regulated by one will instead of many. In this compact 
phalanx they wheeled about for a few turns, uttering at 
the same time a shrill twitter, and again alighted on the 
trees and commenced feeding, suffering me to approach 
within half a dozen yards of them, and at this distance 
I watched them carefully with extreme pleasure. 
While engaged in picking the seeds from the alder 
berries, they clung in every imaginable or unimaginable 
position, exactly like the blue titmice, of which they 
strongly reminded me, and, like that species, hanging 
with the back downwards as often as otherwise. After 
observing them for some time, I roused them from their 
employment with a stone, being curious to witness again 
their beautiful evolutions, which were performed exactly 
as before ; they did not seem at all alarmed at my inter- 
ference, but again descended en masse, and recommeénced 
their occupation. 
I spent some time in close observation of their habits, 
exhibited under such favourable circumstances, and was 
the more interested, from this being the first time I had 
seen them in a state of nature. I am sure that no one 
who had only seen the siskin in a cage would conceive 
the ease and grace of its movements, and its extreme 
activity when in freedom. I should like to have secured 
a few specimens, but had not the heart to fire a gun 
at the pretty little creatures, when a single discharge 
