284 



THE WHEAT-EAR. 



Tentsmuir, where the male sang beautifully on branches 20 feet 

 high." I noted this at the time, as I had never seen them perch 

 on trees before. It sings sweetly in a cage, in winter 

 as well as summer. It may be heard during summer on our 

 own Links, but is getting scarcer. It breeds in deserted rabbit 

 holes. On May 22nd, 1858, I got a nest in a rabbit's hole 

 on the Links, with five fresh eggs. The nest was 18 inches in, 

 the hole barely admitted my arm. It was composed of dry 

 grass, fine roots, a little moss, some wool, two pieces of worsted, 

 and profusely lined with large feathers, averaging 3 inches long. 

 It was like the nest of the bank swallow, but larger. The eggs, 

 when fresh, are light blue, but when blown are nearly white, 

 not speckled. They generally arrive with us about the middle 

 of April. On May 31st and June 5th I saw young broods 

 flying on Tentsmuir. To make certain, I shot one. They have 

 the same cry of chick-chack and jerking of the tail as the old 

 birds. Where there are dry stone dykes, loose stones, or old 

 quarries, it makes its nests under the stones or in holes in the 

 dykes. If so, it is most difficult to find, as it creeps to it 

 through holes and crannies a long way from the place, and is 

 ever on the alert. It always alights on the top of a small 

 hillock, stone, or wall, where, if it spies an intruder, it gives its 

 peep, chicTf-chack, and is off to the next height, showing its white 

 rump as it flies. Its food is insects, larvae, worms, and small 

 mollusca. It has two broods in the year, the end of 

 May and July. The old birds and most of the young 

 moult before they leave us for their winter haunts. 

 It is a handsome and rather pretty bird, and draws 

 attention as it flits over the links and downs. The upper part 

 of the head, neck, back, and scapulars are fine ash-grey, each 

 feather tipped with light brown ; the forehead, white ; a band 

 of white extends beyond the eye — a black band runs under the 

 eye and cheeks ; the rump and upper tail coverts, white. The 

 front of the neck and breast, pale cream colour ; the rest of the 

 throat and lower parts, greyish-white ; the tail, white at the 

 base, brownish-black at the end ; wings, bill, feet, and claws, 

 black ; iris, brown. The female similar, but not so well defined. 

 Length, 6| inches; extent of wings, 12J inches — the size of 

 the lark. They assemble in large numbers in September, 

 previous to departure, on the Sussex and Dorset Downs, next 

 the coast, where, about Eastbourne, the number caught annually 

 is astonishing — Pennant says no fewer than 1840 dozen. They 

 are caught by placing two turfs on edge ; at each end a small 



