Birds. 9841 



speak out, seeing that Biiffon (vol. ix, p. 135), thus refers to a talking 

 nightingale, " Enfin ils apprendiont a parler quelle langne on voudra," 

 &c. My neighbour's bird knew and welcomed its owner, and had 

 learned, from a parrot, to say " Pretty Polly," " Kiss me, Polly," and 

 other endearing expressions. I also find my remarks on the perching 

 of the American snipe indirectly confirmed by BufFon, who says (vol. 

 viii. p. 281), "La plupart des oiseaux qui ne se perchent point en 

 Europe, et qui demeurent toujours a terre, * * * se perchent en 

 Amerique, et memo les oiseaux d'eau a pieds palmes que nous 

 n'avons jamais vu dans nos cliraats se percher sur les arbres, s'y 

 posent coramunement." 



Kestrel. — August 7. Four of these hawks observed together on our 

 downs, seemingly all of one family. 



Chiffchaff. — August 8. A chifFchafF or two seen. None before 

 observed since April. 



Goldfinch. — August 8. Saw a flock of goldfinches : they were 

 mostly young birds, yellow on the wings, but with no red visible on the 

 head. 



Yellow Wagtail. — August 21. Both to-day and on the 18th some 

 fifteen or twenty young wagtails were observed in a pasture-field, 

 following the horses; though I could not venture to shoot any I have 

 no doubt of their being birds of this species : their small size and the 

 yellowish gray colour of the sides and under parts prove them to be 

 so. A pied and a gray-backed bird or two having alighted among 

 them enabled me to judge of their relative size, and they were quite 

 dwarfed by it, proving, too, that they could not be the young of the 

 gray wagtail, which is not only larger but differs in plumage, and is a 

 species not generally met with at this season in the island. The flight 

 of the yellow wagtail is more undulating and graceful than that of the 

 pied and white species. Though there were several cows in an 

 adjoining meadow the yellow wagtails never left the horses, but fol- 

 lowed them closely ; now squatting among the grass, then running to 

 and fro beneath the horses, taking the flies from between their legs and 

 from off their noses, and darting after those disturbed by the trampling 

 of the animals, which are seemingly aware of the service rendered them, 

 for they never, by switch of the tail or toss of the head, drive away the 

 wagtails, but allow them to crowd about their noses and legs, so that 

 they appear in danger of being injured or trampled under foot. 

 One of the gray-backed birds first alighted on a tree, then in a 

 hedge. 



VOL. XXIII. 3 N 



