642 MIGRATION 



11. Buntings. All the genus inhabits England throughout the 

 year, except the greater b rambling, which is forced here from the 

 north in very severe seasons. 



12. Finches. All continue in some parts of these kingdoms, 

 except the siskin, which is an irregular visitant, said to come from 

 Russia. The linnets shift their quarters, breeding in one part of 

 this island, and remove with their young to others. All finches feed 

 on the seeds of plants. 



13. Larks, Fly.catchers, Wagtails and Warblers. All of these 

 feed on insects and worms j yet only part of them quit these king- 

 doms, though the reason of migration is the same to all. The 

 nightingale, black-cap, fly-catcher, willow-wren, wheat-ear, and 

 white-throat, leave us before winter, while the small and delicate 

 golden. crested wren braves our severest frosts. The migrants of 

 this genus continue longest in Great Britain in the southern coun. 

 ties, the winter in those parts being later than in those of the 

 north; Mr. Stillingfleet having observed several wheat-ears in the 

 isle of Purbeck, on the 18th of November. As these birds are inca- 

 pable of very distant flights, Spain, or the south of France, is pro- 

 bably their winter asylum. 



14. Swallows and Goat-suckers. Every species disappears at 

 the approach of winter. 



Water-Fowl. 

 Of the vast variety of water-fowl that frequent Great Britain, 

 it is amazing to reflect how few are known to breed here: the 

 cause that principally urges them to leave this country seems to be 

 not merely the want of food, but the desire of a secure retreat. 

 Our country is too populous for birds so shy and timid as the bulk 

 of these are : when great part of our island was a mere waste, a 

 tract of wood and fen, doubtless many species of birds (which at 

 this time migrate) remained in security throughout the year. Egrets, 

 a species of heron, now scarce known in this island, were in former 

 times in prodigious plenty ; and the crane, that has totally forsaken 

 this country, bred familiarly in our marshes ; their place of incu- 

 bation, as well as of all other cloven-footed water-fowl (the heron 

 excepted), being on the ground, and exposed to every one. As 

 rural economy increased in this country, these animals were more 

 and more disturbed ; at length, by a series of alarms, they were 

 necessitated to seek, during the summer, some lonely safe habitation. 



