MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 163 



thing. However, while they are playing about on the wing, 

 they certainly make a loud piping with their mouths ; but 

 whether that bleating or humming is ventriloquous, or pro- 

 ceeds from the motion of their wings, I cannot say ; but this 

 I know, that, when this noise happens, the bird is always 

 descending, and his wings are violently agitated. 



Soon after the lapwings * have done breeding, they con- 

 gregate, and leaving the moors and marshes, betake them- 

 selves to downs and sheep walks. 



Two years ago t last spring, the little auk was found alive 

 and unhurt, but fluttering and unable to rise, in a lane a few 

 miles from Alresford, where there is a great lake ; it was 

 kept a while, but died. 



I saw young teals J taken alive in the ponds of Wolmer 

 Forest in the beginning of July last, along with flappers, or 

 young wild ducks. 



Speaking of the swift, that page says, "its drink the 

 dew ;" whereas it should be, "it drinks on the wing;" for 

 all the swallow kind sip their water as they sweep over the 

 face of pools or rivers : like Virgil's bees, they drink flying 

 "flumina summa libant" "they sip the surface of the stream." 

 In this method of drinking, perhaps this genus may be 

 peculiar. 



Of the sedge-bird, 1 1 be pleased to say, it sings most part 

 of the night ; its notes are hurrying, but not unpleasing, and 

 imitative of several birds, as the sparrow, swallow, skylark. 

 "When it happens to be silent in the night, by throwing a 

 stone or clod into the bushes where it sits, you immediately 

 set it a-singing, or, in other words, though it slumbers 

 sometimes, yet, as soon as it is awakened, it reassumes its 



* British Zoology, vol ii. p. 360. f Ibid. p. 409. 



J Ibid. p. 475. They breed amongst the ling of Woolmer Forest, and 

 on the extensive heaths near Lephook. ED. 



Ibid. P . 15. || 7&MZ.p.l6. 



*([ I have always found this to be the case on passing the willow aits on the 

 river Thames, in a boat in the evening. The least noise at that time will set 

 these birds singing. ED. 



