WHEATEAR ON SOUTH DOWNS 33 



and in autumn on the low-lying ground between 

 Bognor and Selsea Bill. Many pairs breed annually 

 on the South downs, near Uppark, in the parish of 

 Harting, which is within a few miles of the borders 

 of Hants, and not very far from Selborne. 



The method of catching Wheatears adopted by 

 the Southdown shepherds while tending their flocks 

 was as simple as it was effectual. It appears also 

 to be of some antiquity. Willughby, in 1676, 



/ 



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/ 



TRAP FOR WHEATEAR. 



described it in his Ormthologia, which two years 

 later was translated by his friend Ray. The pas- 

 sage in the English version (p. 233) runs thus: — 

 "The Sussex shepherds to catch these birds, use 

 this art. They dig long turves of earth and lay 

 them across the holes whereout they were digged, 

 and about the middle of them hang snares made ol 

 horse hair. The birds being naturally very timorous 

 if a Hawk happens to appear, or but a cloud pass 

 over and intercept the sunbeams, hastily run to hide 

 themselves in the holes under the turves, and so are 



