412 OBSERVATIONS ON 



saw no gravels among the food : perhaps the shell snails 

 might perform the functions of gravels or pebbles, and 

 might grind one another. Land-rails used to abound 

 formerly, I remember, in the low wet bean fields of 

 Christian Malford in North Wilts, and in the meadows 

 near Paradise Gardens at Oxford, where I have often heard 

 them cry crex, crex. The bird mentioned above weighed 

 7^ oz., was fat and tender, and in flavour like the flesh of 

 a woodcock. The liver was very large and delicate. 



FOOD OF THE RING-DOVE 



One of my neighbours shot a ring-dove on an evening 

 as it was returning from feed and going to roost. When 

 his wife had picked and drawn it, she found its craw 

 stufl^ed with the most nice and tender tops of turnips. 

 These she washed and boiled, and so sat down to a choice 

 and delicate plate of greens, culled and provided in this 

 extraordinary manner. 



Hence we may see that graminivorous birds, when 

 grain fails, can subsist on the leaves of vegetables. There 

 is reason to suppose that they would not long be healthy 

 without ; for turkeys, though corn fed, delight in a variety 

 of plants, such as cabbage, lettuce, endive, etc. and poultry 

 pick much grass ; while geese live for months together on 

 commons by grazing alone. 



" Nought is useless made ; 



On the barren heath 



The shepherd tends his flock that daily crop 

 Their verdant dinner from the mossy turf 

 Sufficient : after them the cackling goose, 

 Close-grazer, finds wherewith to ease her want." 



Philips's Cyder. 



HEN HARRIER 



Mr. White of Newton sprung a pheasant in a wheat 

 stubble, and shot at it ; when, notwithstanding the report 

 of the gun, it was immediately pursued by the blue hawk. 



