THE SPARROW KIND. 245 



take long journeys for this purpose ; but, strictly 

 speaking, almost every other kind are birds of 

 passage, though their migration may not be to 

 places so remote. At some particular season of 

 the year, all small birds migrate either from one 

 country to another, or from the more inland pro- 

 vinces toward the shore. 



There are several persons who get a livelihood 

 by watching the seasons when our small birds 

 begin to migrate from one country to another, 

 and by taking them with nets in their passages. 

 The birds are found to j%, as the bird-catchers 

 term it, chiefly during the month of October, and 

 part of September and November. There is also 

 another flight in March, which is much less con- 

 siderable than that in autumn. Nor is it less 

 remarkable, that several of these species of flight- 

 birds make their appearance in regular succes- 

 sion. The pippet, for instance, begins its flight 

 every year about Michaelmas, when they are 

 caught in greatest number. To this the wood- 

 lark succeeds, and continues its flight till towards 

 the middle of October ; other birds follow, but 

 are not so punctually periodical ; the greenfinch 

 does not begin till the frost obliges it to seek for 

 a change. These birds, during those months, fly 

 from day-break till twelve at noon ; and there 

 is afterwards a small flight from two till night. 

 Such are the seasons of the migration of the birds 

 which have been usually considered as stationary, 

 and on these occasions they are caught in great 

 abundance as they are on their journey. But 

 the same arts used to allure them upon other oc- 



