THE WHEAT-EAR. 241 



Amuuil visits- How ensiiitred. 



above which there is a pale line passes towards 

 the hinder part of the head; and below them, a 

 large black one, which extends itself from the 

 corners of the mouth to the ears. The head and 

 back appear of a cinereous colour, with a mixture 

 of red. The rump is generally white, from 

 whence, by some it has the name of white-tail; 

 the belly is white, faintly dashed with red; the 

 breast and throat more deep; the coverts and 

 quills are black, with their extreme edges white, 

 tinctured with a dusky red; the tail is something 

 more than two inches long, and all white. 



The wheat-ear visits England annually in the 

 middle of March, and leaves us in September. 

 The females come first, about a fortnight before 

 the males ; and they continue to come till the 

 middle of May. In some parts of England they 

 are found in vast plenty, and are. much esteemed. 

 About Eastbourne, in Sussex/ they are taken in 

 snares made of horse-hair, placed beneath a long 

 turf. Being very timid birds, the motion even 

 of a cloud, or the appearance of a hawk, will 

 immediately drive them into the traps. These 

 traps are first set every year on St. James's day, 

 (July "25;) soon after which they are caught in 

 astonishing numbers, considering that they are 

 not gregarious, and that more than two or three 

 are scarcely ever seen flying together. The 

 number annually ensnared in the district of East- 

 bourne alone, is said to amount to nearly two 

 thousand dozen. The birds caught are chiefly 



VOL. in. NO. xxi. 2 H 



