84 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



colour in each ; the back of the male being 

 scarcely darker than that of the female during the 

 summer, which now assumes a still paler grey. 

 Young birds of both sexes resemble the latter. 



About the middle of August there is a general 

 move towards the sea-coast, and these birds now 

 first appear to become gregarious. 



At this season I have frequently noticed them 

 in considerable numbers on village commons and 

 similar localities in the interior of the county, 

 where they remain but a few days, making way for 

 fresh detachments, which, in their turn, pursue the 

 same route towards the south. About the latter 

 end of the month, or in the beginning of Septem- 

 ber, an early riser, visiting the fields in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the coast, may observe them flying 

 invariably from west to east, parallel with the 

 shore, and following each other in constant suc- 

 cession. These flights continue from daylight 

 until about ten o'clock in the forenoon ; and it is 

 a remarkable fact, that so steadily do they pursue 

 this course, and so pertinacious are they in adher- 

 ing to it, that even a shot fired at an advancing 

 party, and the death of more than one individual, 

 have failed to induce the remainder to fly in a dif- 

 ferent direction; for, after opening to the right 

 and left, their ranks have again closed, and the 



