NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 95 



Some wheat-ears continue with us the winter through. 



Wagtails, all sorts, remain with us all the winter. 



Bullfinches, when fed on hempseed, often become wholly 

 black. 



We have vast flocks of female chaffinches all the winter, 

 with hardly any males among them. 



When you say that in breeding-time the cock-snipes make 

 a bleating noise, and I a drumming (perhaps I should rather 

 have said a humming), I suspect we mean the same thing. 

 However, while they are playing about on the wing they 

 certainly make a loud piping with their mouths : but 

 whether that bleating or humming is ventriloquous, or 

 proceeds from the motion of their wings, I cannot say ; but 

 this I know, that when this noise happens the bird is 

 always descending, and his wings are violently agitated. 



Soon after the lapwings have done breeding they congre- 

 gate, and, leaving the moors and marshes, betake themselves 

 to downs and sheep-walks. 



Two years ago last spring the little auk was found alive 

 and unhurt, but fluttering and unable to rise, in a lane a 

 few miles from Alresford, where there is a great lake : it 

 was kept awhile, but died. 



I saw young teals taken alive in the ponds of Wolmer 

 Forest in the beginning of July last, along with flappers, or 

 young wild ducks. 



Speaking of the swift, that page says " its drink the 

 dew • " whereas it should be, " it drinks on the wing ; " for 

 all the swallow kind sip their water as they sweep over the 

 face of pools or rivers : like Virgil's bees, they drink flying ; 

 ^''flumina suimna libanty In this method of drinking 

 perhaps this genus may be peculiar. 



Of the sedge-bird be pleased to say it sings most part of 

 the night ; its notes arc hurrying, but not unpleasing, and 



