ii2 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



as very great delicacies for the table. Pennant states in 

 his time upwards of 1,840 dozens of wheat-ears were taken 

 about the downs at Eastbourne, and sold for sixpence 

 a dozen. Now they are much more scarce, and when 

 exposed for sale at the poulterer's, fetch from 33. to 45. 

 per dozen. John Taylor, the water-poet says : 



"Th' are called wheat-earsless than lark or sparrow ; 

 Well roasted, in the mouth they taste like marrow. 



The name of wheat-ears, on them is ycleped 

 " Because they come when wheat is yearly reaped ; 

 Six weeks or thereabouts, they are catched there, 

 And are. well nigh eleven months, God knows where?" 



Gilbert White, generally so accurate, states that this bird 

 remains with us during the winter ; but this is not so. 

 Its very early arrival in the spring probably was the cause 

 of the mistake. The male bird, with the varied plumage 

 of its blue-grey back, black wings, whitish buff of the 

 under-parts, has a very handsome appearance, and when 

 attending on its mate in the breeding season, utters a soft 

 and pleasing song. The nest is generally placed in a 

 heap of stones, or in a hole of a low wall, and sometimes 

 in an old rabbit-furrow. 



THE SPOTTED FLY-CATCHER. 



The SPOTTED FLY-CATCHER (Muscicapa Musca, a fly, 

 and carpo, to take grisola) family, Muscicapidce arrives 

 in this country about the third week in May ; Selby says 

 " when the oak-leaf is coming out," and may be constantly 

 seen on the palings about woods, orchards, gardens, and 

 lawns. It is called the Beam-Bird in Hertfordshire and 

 other counties, Post-Bird in Kent, Bee-Bird in Norfolk, 

 &c. The bird appears always intent on getting as many 

 flies as possible, and it. is a regular "dab" at it. Watch it 

 for a short time ; see how, with its sharp, hawk-like eye, 

 it spots the various flies and beetles, and is down on the 

 ground one moment and up in the air the next. Mr. St. 

 John states that a pair of fly-catchers fed their young no 



