OX THE GREGARIOUSNESS OF BIRDS. 85 



abound in the fenny and marshy districts of the kingdom du- 

 ring the winter months, where food suitable to them may 

 be commonly and readily obtained. Of the Duck tribe, 

 too, many are migratory almost daily during the winter 

 season: that is, tbey remain in the marshes for some hours, 

 and then proceed to the sea shore, where food is in abun- 

 dance. Some of these migrations are determined by the pe- 

 riods of the tides. 



Besides the preceding regularly migrating birds, there are 

 many others that occasionally appear in this country, or 

 which change their residence from one part of the country 

 to another. The Golden Oriole is sometimes seen here as a 

 summer visitant ; rarely, if ever, found here in the winter. 

 The Grosbeah, Crossbill, and Waxen Chatterer, appear at 

 uncertain intervals. Some of our Wild Pigeons either 

 migrate or change their residence; so do Quails; Starlings 

 most probably migrate in part, although not all. 



Another peculiarity of many of the bird tribe is that of 

 assembling in large numbers in the winter, and as regularly 

 separating again at the approach of summer. Among our birds 

 of song, the Goldfinch, fringilla carduelis • and Lark, alauda 

 arvensis, may be mentioned as belonging to this class, they 

 being found together, the Larks particularly, in large numbers 

 in the winter season ; but in the summer these birds are only 

 associated in pairs. The same may be said of the Pur, Tringa 

 cinclus, a well-known sea-bird, seen hovering at the mouths 

 of salt water rivers in immense flocks in the winter and 

 spring. The House Sparrow is not one of the least interest- 

 ing of birds, notwithstanding its occasional destructiveness 

 in cornfields. It is almost always more or less gregarious, 

 but it is found associated in larger numbers in winter than 

 in summer. In favourable situation, and in mild weather, 

 this bird breeds occasionally even in the winter season ; at 



