44 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XXIII. 



to examine the crops of any of these wild birds, and 

 see what they were filled with during three fourths 

 of the year, he would find that they fully recompense 

 him for all the gi\iin they devour. Undoubtedly a 

 considerable quantity of newly-sown wheat is eaten 

 by different birds. Sea-gulls, amongst others, seem 

 to swallow the grain indiscriminately with the grubs 

 and worms turned up by the harrows ; and large 

 flocks of greenfinches and buntings are busily 

 occupied in searching for whatever corn is not well 

 covered over. The wild ducks, too, come at night 

 to shovel up what remains in the furrows. 



This is the season at which partridges migrate 

 from the high grounds to the cultivated fields. 

 Fresh unbroken coveys frequently appear near the 

 lower part of the river: sometimes they come in 

 flocks of twenty or thirty. In damp weather these 

 birds seek the dry and warm ground on the sandy 

 places about the lower inlands, and appear entirely 

 to desert the fields excepting at feeding time. 



The water-ousel enlivens the burn now by its low 

 but sweet note, uttered either while perched on its 

 accustomed stone in the midst of a rapid, or whilst 

 fioating with open wings on the surface of a quiet 

 pool — a method of proceeding quite peculiar to this 

 interesting little bird. The salmon fishers wage 

 war to the knife with the water-ousel ; and, indeed,, 



