$6 INTRODUCTION. 



least such is my experience of this bird in Somersetshire. 

 The Fieldfare being a migratory bird, is rarely seen solitary 

 in this country,— usually in flocks. 



Few birds are gregarious at all seasons of the year. 

 The Rook is, however, peculiarly so ; and, what is very re- 

 markable, this bird only roosts at the rookery for a few 

 months during the time of building its nest, incubation, and 

 rearing its young : in the winter season the whole commu- 

 nity retire sometimes ten, or even more, miles from their 

 nests, to roost on the trees' in some sequestered spot or 

 wood. They, nevertheless, occasionally visit the rookery 

 throughout the winter, although not, I believe, diurnally. 



Notwithstanding many birds are gregarious only during 

 the winter season, some, as we have seen, (the Rook and 

 House Sparrow,) are gregarious also during incubation. 

 Others are gregarious, chiefly, if not only, at this period. 

 The Heron, ardea major, is one of those ; and the Oriole, 

 oriolus persicus, is peculiarly gregarious during the time of 

 nidification and rearing its young. 



The gregariousness of the Duck tribe does not seem to 

 extend, under ordinary circumstances, to more than one 

 brood, — most commonly from ten to fifteen ; at least, this 

 appears to be the fact during their flight. They are doubtless 

 found together in greater numbers on our decoy pools and 

 other lakes. The gregariousness of the Partridge extends, I 

 believe, rarely beyond a brood ; Quails, on the contrary, 

 assemble together in large numbers in the winter. 



It is a curious fact in the migration of birds, that some 

 migrate in quest of a particular crop. Thus, in Cuba, 

 the Rice-bird, Emberiza Oryzivora, is found in great 

 numbers during the season of that crop ; but no sooner is 

 the rice gathered than it removes to Carolina, and meets 

 the same harvest in that country, where it remains till the 



