AMONG THE WHEAT. 149 



British Finches which regularly frequent the 

 corn-fields during the summer. Most noteworthy 

 of these are the Greenfinch, the Common 

 Bunting, and the Yellowhammer, the former 

 especially loving to congregate in flocks upon the 

 corn as soon as the grass is turned into hay. 

 The damage done by these birds, however, is 

 only trifling ; not that they are any less voracious 

 than the Sparrow, but simply because they do 

 not occur in such vast numbers. Again, these 

 Finches and Buntings do far more good than 

 ever man can estimate in ridding the fields of 

 weeds ; whilst all through the spring and during 

 a greater part of the summer, their diet is more 

 or less of an insectivorous nature. There are 

 many other birds which become more or less 

 troublesome to the farmer and gardener in seed- 

 time, but these species invariably leave the 

 ripening crops alone. Amongst them may be 

 noted the Chaffinch and the Skylark; both of which 

 never fail to make their appearance on the beds 

 and newly-sown fields, but the harm they do is 

 comparatively small. It must also be remem- 

 bered that these birds are great seed-eaters, con- 

 suming incredible quantities of the seeds of plants 

 injurious to husbandry ; and during a great part 

 of the year they not only subsist on insects, but 

 bring up their young on similar food. Then 

 among the farmer's friends we must include the 

 army of smaller Finches, such as Redpoles, 

 Linnets, Twites, and Goldfinches. None of these 



