BiKUs. .233 



finch and the ciosshill are iiruertiiiii visitants, and have no stated 

 times of migration. Swallows of every species disappear at the 

 approach of winter. Tiie nightingale, the black-caj), the fly- 

 catcher, the willow-wren, the wheat-ear, the whin-chat, and 

 the stone-chatter leave us long before the approach of winter; 

 while the siskin and the linnet only forsake us when our winters 

 are more than usually severe. All the rest of the smaller tribe 

 never quit this country : but support the severest rigours of the 

 climate. 



Yet it must not be supposed that the manners of our little 

 birds prevail in all other countries ; and that such kinds as are 

 stationary with us never wander in other parts of Eurojje; on 

 the contrary, it happens that many of those kinds which are 

 birds of passage in England are seen, in other places, never to 

 depart, but to make one country their fixed residence the whole 

 year round. It is also freqtient, that some birds, which with us 

 are faithful residents, in other kingdoms put on the nature of 

 birds of passage, and disappear for a season. 



The swallow, that with us is particularly remarked for being 

 a bird of passage in Upper Egypt, and in the island of Java, 

 breeds and continues the whole year, without ever disappearing. 

 Larks, that remain with us the year throughout, are birds of passage 

 in Sweden ; and forsake that climate in winter to return again with 

 the returning spring. The chaffinch, that with us is stationarj-, 

 appears during the winter in Caiolina and Virginia; but disap- 

 pears totally in summer to breed in the northern regions. In 

 Sweden, also, these little birds are seen returning, at the ap- 

 proach of spring, from the warmer climates, to propagate ; which 

 being accomplished by the latter end of autumn, the males and 

 females separate ; the males to continue among their native 

 snows, the females to seek a warmer and gentler winter. On 

 this occasion, they are seen in flocks, that darken all the air, 

 without a single male among them, making their way into the 

 more soutliem regions of Denmark, Germany, and Holland. 

 In this Amazon-like retreat thousands fall by the way ; some by 

 fatigue, some by want ; but the greatest number by the nets of 



but a c'liango of note, a change of object ; his song ceases when his mjite iius 

 hatched her brood ; vigilance, anxiety, caution, now succeed to harmony, 

 and Ills cro;ik is the hush, the \varning of danq-er or suspicion to the infaut 

 charge auU the mother bird.— Journal of a Naturalist. 



