Male Wheat-ear 



CHAPTER V 



Another bird, very characteristic, whilst it stays, 

 of the steppes of Icklingham, is the wheat-ear. A 

 blithe day it is when the first pair arrive, in splendid 

 plumage always — the male quite magnificent, the 

 female, with her softer shades, like a tender after- 

 glow to his fine sunset. Both are equally pleasing 

 to look at, but the cock bird is by much the more 

 amusing to watch. 



Who shall describe him and all his nice little 

 ways — his delicate little hops ; his still more delicate 

 little pauses, when he stands upright like a sentinel ; 

 his little just-one-flirt of the wings, without going 

 up ; his little, sudden fly over the ground, with his 

 coming down, soon, and standing as though sur- 

 prised at what he had done ; or, lastly and chiefly, his 

 strange, mad rompings — one may almost call them — 



