THE WHEATEAR. 



exempt from the afflictions of age, yet his death, if 

 anticipated, becomes a momentary evil. When in 

 a native state, he is a wretched creature, a common 

 beast of the wild, with no innate magnanimity, no 

 acquired virtues ; has no elevation, no character to 

 maintain, but passes his days in contention and 

 want, is base in disposition, meagre in body, a fugi- 

 tive, and a coward. 



The wheatear (sylvia cenanthe) frequents annually 

 our open commons and stone-quarries, and breeds 

 there. I have seen it with nesting materials in its 

 bill, and have had its eggs, though rarely, brought 

 me. This bird visits England early in the spring, 

 and continues with us till nearly the end of Septem- 

 ber, that is, during the entire breeding season. Yet 

 it is remarkable, notwithstanding its numbers, and 

 the little concealment which its haunts afford, how 

 rarely its nests are found. Its principal place of 

 resort is the South Downs in Sussex ; and it appears 

 from the accounts of the most experienced and cre- 

 dible persons of that county, from whom I have my 

 information, that the females are performing their 

 duties of incubation during the month of March ; 

 as at that time scarcely any but male birds are visi- 

 ble, of which hundreds are then flying about ; while 

 the females with their families appear early in May, 

 and are captured afterwards in great numbers ; yet 

 the oldest shepherds have seldom seen their nest ! 

 When found, it has been concealed beneath a large 



