The Zoologist — October, 1874. 4175 



notes of other species. For example, one day in May, 186 G, upon a hill 

 near Suan'avre, a fine male wheatear sitting upon a large stone, after 

 entertaining me for awhile with the cry of the ringed plover, suddenly 

 went off into an exceedingly good attempt at that of the lapwing ; hut soon 

 afterwards, having inadvertently destroyed the whole effect by a ludicrous 

 mixture of the two, it stopped for a short time, and then began a monotonous 

 ' peewit, peewit,' which continued as long as I remained within hearing. 

 Upon very many occasions I have heard the wheatear successfully imitate 

 the notes of the following birds : — House sparrow, sky lark (part of song), 

 common bunting, mountain linnet, peewit, golden plover, ringed plover, 

 redshank, oystei'catcher, and herring gull. So complete is the deception 

 that when the bird has been out of sight I have many times been thoroughly 

 taken in. One April morning, hearing, as T thought, the cry of a redshank, 

 I was preparing to follow up, when to my surprise I discovered that the 

 notes proceeded from a wheatear, the first of the season, perched upon 

 a stone not many yards distant." — P. 68. 



My technical reader must bear with me and with another little 

 bird that is as great a favourite of mine as the wheatear, and one 

 that I have been more successful in transferring to ray bird-cage, 

 for I have always failed with the wheatear; I mean the snow 

 bunting. At the present writing I have two pairs in apparently 

 the most vigorous health and most perfect plumage, having just 

 completed their autumnal moult; and although I cannot call them 

 "familiar," like siskins, canaries, bullfinches, and some others, 

 they are sufficiently reconciled to confinement to bear it without 

 exhibiting any symptoms of a desire to escape, and sufficiently also 

 to allow of my making any observations I please on their habits and 

 manners. How different they are when caged from what they are 

 in a state of unrestrained freedom we must all be ready to admit; 

 but at the same time how infinitely more attractive than when 

 skinned, and mounted, and arranged in a museum. The chamber 

 ornithologist conceded much to the humble student of Nature 

 when he consented to forego the wiring, the posturing, the painting, 

 and the sealing-waxing, and contented himself with skinning, and 

 drying, and filling loosely with cotton-wool. I scarcely see how 

 he can go further than this at present; but still the place for study 

 is the field, and the weapon, if he require one, the telescope, and 

 not the gun. Snow buntings are not the most patient of prisoners, 

 and yet will reveal all manner of agreeable character if left in peace : 

 if you desire to study them with advantage you must preserve utter 

 stillness, convert yourself into a statue, and then they will go on with 



