384 
WHEAT-EAR. Czasell. 
the beginning of May: we have obferved that the 
females arrive about a fortnight before the males. 
They frequent warrens, downs, and the edges of 
hills, efpecially thofe that are fenced with ftone 
walls. They breed in the latter, in old rabbet 
burrows, cliffs, and frequently under old timber: . 
their neft is large, made of dried grafs, rabbet’s 
down, a few feathers, and horfe hair: and they lay 
from fix to eight eggs, of a light blue color. 
They grow very fat in autumn, and are efteem- 
ed a delicacy. About Eaffhourn in Suffex they are 
taken by the fhepherds in great numbers, in fnarés 
made of horfe hair, placed under a long turf; be- 
ing very timid birds, the motion of a cloud, or the 
appearance of a hawk, will drive them for fhelter 
into thofe traps, and fo they are taken. The num- 
bers annually enfnared in that diftri€t alone, a- 
mount to about 1840 dozen, which fell ufually at 
fix-pence per dozen; and what appears very extra- 
ordinary, the numbers that return the following 
year do not appear to be leffened; as we are 
affured by a very intelligent perfon refident near 
that place. The reafon that fuch a quantity are ta~ 
ken in the neighbourhood of La/tbourn is, that it 
abounds with a certain fy which frequents the ad- 
jacent hills, for the fake of the wild thyme they are 
covered with, which is not only a favorite food of 
that infect, but the plant on which it depofites its 
eggs! 
Wheat-ears are much fatter in a rainy feafon than 
a dry 
