44 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XXIII. 



his rent. Nevertheless, were he to examine the 

 crops of any of these wild-birds, and see what they 

 were filled with during three-fourths of the year, 

 he would find that they fully recompense him for 

 all the grain they devour. Undoubtedly a con- 

 siderable quantity of newly-sown wheat is eaten 

 by different birds. Sea-gulls, amongst others, seem 

 to swallow the grain indiscriminately with the 

 grubs and worms turned up by the harrows ; and 

 large flocks of greenfinches and buntings are busily 

 occupied in searching for whatever corn is not 

 well covered over. The wild-clucks, too, come at 

 night to shovel up what remains in the furrows. 



This is the season at which partridges migrate 

 from the high grounds to the cultivated fields. 

 Fresh unbroken coveys frequently appear near the 

 lower part of the river : sometimes they come in 

 flocks of twenty or thirty. In damp weather these 

 birds seek the dry and warm ground on the sandy 

 places about the lower islands, and appear entirely 

 to desert the fields excepting at feeding time. 



The water-ousel enlivens the burn by its low 

 but sweet note, uttered either while perched on its 

 accustomed stone in the midst of a rapid, or whilst 

 floating with open wings on the surface of a quiet 

 pool — a method of proceeding quite peculiar to this 

 interesting little bird. The salmon -fishers wage 



