128 OUE NATIVE SONGSTETvS. 



or animosity which would be likclj to actuate 

 them in the sj)nng, would no longer exist. The 

 first of these instances occurred when I was a 

 boy, and was rc])eated daily, and almost hourly, 

 both against the windows of my father's house, 

 and those of that of our neighbour;, who being 

 rather superstitious, was alarmed about it, and 

 came to consult my mother on the subject. She 

 said tliere was a bird, which lier brotlier had told 

 her was a barley bird, which wa.«< continually flying 

 against the windows ; and as birds were not in tlie 

 habit of doing so at any other time, she thought 

 some serious calamity was portended by it. My 

 motlier comforted her as well as she could ; and 

 I undertook to rid her of tlie annoyance. By 

 setting a horse-hair noose on one of the window 

 ledges, which it was in the habit of frequenting, 

 I soon caught it; and by jducking out tlie under- 

 tail coverts, which I wanted to dress yellow duns 

 with, I effectually cured it of the propensity." 



This bird, is, during the summer, very generally 

 diffused throughout Europe. In Scotland and the 

 northern counties of England it is a regular 

 summer visitor, coming to us in April, and quitting 

 at about the end of September. It is described 



