THE WHEATEAR. 36 I 



month. From their habit of running into holes, as a 

 means both of safety and of obtaining food, the wheat- 

 ears are easily taken ; as nothing more is wanted than 

 to set up two pieces of tile, or slate, or turf, leaning 

 against each other like a roof, put a noose of horse- 

 hair within it, and the bird is sure to be caught. Ten 

 or twelve thousand is said to be the number captured 

 in the neighbourhood of Eastbourne alone, every season. 

 If the flocking of wheatears in the south of England, 

 be an actual accumulation of them from other parts of 

 the country, it is different from their habits in other 

 places. They there both come and go without any in- 

 dication, and appear to have no association beyond a 

 single pair. They may flock there, however, for there 

 are many places where birds accumulate at certain 

 seasons without any explained cause, though seldom 

 more than two are seen together at any other time of 

 the year. 



The wheatear pays as much attention to the warmth 

 and comfort of its nest, as to safety and abundance 

 of food for its progeny. An ample drainage (should 

 that be necessary) and an outside fabric are made of 

 the dried fibres of grass, and the whole is well lined 

 with wool and feathers ; and when there is a sheep-walk 

 near the place frequented by the birds, they may be 

 seen picking the loose parts of the fleeces from the 

 bushes with great assiduity. The eggs are five or six, 

 of a pale but beautiful blue, without any blotches or 

 spots. Both parents are very much attached to the 

 nest ; and the female, trusting probably to the strength 

 of her post, can hardly be roused from it, and might 

 often be taken with the hand. Like all other birds 

 2 i 



