76 February 1749. 



the reft. Dr. Linnceus calls this bird Gra- 

 cula Qiiifcula. 



A few of thefe birds are faid to winter 

 in fwamps, which are quite overgrown 

 with thick woods ; and they only appear in 

 mild weather. But the greateft number go 

 to the fouth at the approach of winter. To- 

 day I law them, for the firft time this year. 

 They flew in great iiocks already. Their 

 chief and moil agreeable food is maize. 

 They come in great fwarms in fpring, 

 foon after the maize is put under ground. 

 They fcraich up the grains of maize, and 

 eat them. As foon as the leaf comes out, 

 they take hold of it with their bills, and 

 pluck it up, together with the corn or 

 grain ; and thus they give a great deal of 

 trouble to the country people, even fo early 

 in fpring. To leflen their greedinefs of 

 maize, fome people dip the grains of that 

 plant in a decoct of the root of the veratrum 

 album, or white hellebore, (of which I mail 

 fpeak in the fequel) and plant them after- 

 wards. When the maize-thief eats a grain 

 or two, which are fo prepared, his head is 

 difordered, and he falls down : this fright- 

 ens his companions, and they dare not ven- 

 ture to the place again. But they repay 

 themfelves amply towards autumn, when 

 the maize grows ripe ; for at that time, 



they 



