SIN8ING EIBDS. 



101 



Birds that sing as they fly are but few :- 



Skylark, 



Titlark, 



Woodlark, 

 Blackbird, 



Whitetliroatj 



Swallow, 

 Wren, 



Alauda vulgaris. 



Alauda pratorum, 



Alauda arborea. 

 Macula. 



•r 



Picedvlce affinis. 



Hirundo domestica. 

 Passer troglodytes. 



J Rising, suspended, and 



\_ falling. 



its descent ; also sitting 

 on trees, and walking on 

 the ground. 



{Suspended ; in hot summer 

 nights all night long. 

 {Sometimes from hush to 

 bush, 

 r Uses, when singing on the 

 < wing, odd jerks and ges- 

 1_ ticulations. 



In soft sunny weather. 

 J" Sometimes from bush to- 

 \ bush. 



Birds that breed most early in these parts : — ■ 



Raven, 



Song-thrush, 

 Blackbird, 



Rook, 



Woodlark, 



Ringdove, 



Coi'vus. 



Turdus. 

 Merula. 



Cornix frugilega. . 



Alauda arborea. 



{Hatches in February and 

 March. 

 In March. 

 In March, 

 f Builds the beginning of 

 \ March. 

 Hatches in April. 



(Pal'JMibus torques- f . »i v • ■ <■ » -i 

 . 1 '^y^ "'^ begmmng of April. 



I tus. 





AH birds that continue in full song till after midsummerj 

 appear to me to breed more than once. 



Most kinds of birds seem to me to be wild and shy, some- 

 what in proportion to their bulk : I mean in this island, 

 where they are much pursued and annoyed ; but in Ascen- 

 sion Island, and many other desolate places, mariners have 

 found fowls so unacquainted with a human figure, that they 

 would stand still to be taken, as is the case with boobies, 

 &c. As an example of what is advanced, I remark that the 

 golden-crested wren, (the smallest British bird,) will stand 

 unconcerned till you come within three or four yards of it, 

 while the bustard {otis^ the largest British land fowl, does 

 not care to admit a person within so many furlongs. 



