42 



THE NATURAL HISTORY 



[LETT. 



sunshine, and join all in a gentle sort of chirping, as if they were 

 about to break up their winter quarters and betake themselves 

 to their proper summer homes. It is well known, at least, that 

 this is the signal of departure with the swallows and the field- 

 lares, which congregate with a gentle twittering before they take 

 their respective departure. 



You may depend on it that the bunting (Einberiza miliaria) 

 does not leave this country in the winter. In January, 1767, 



THE YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



I saw several dozen of them, in the midst of a severe frost, 

 among the bushes on the downs near Andover : in our wood- 

 land inclosed district it is a rare bird. 



Wagtails, both white and yellow, are with us all the winter. 

 Quails crowd to our southern coast, and are often killed in 

 numbers by people that go on purpose. 



Mr. Stillingfleet, in his Tracts, says that " if the wheatear 



