(Si) 

 The Wheat Ear. Oenanthe; 



Numb. LV. 



ITS Weight is twenty one Drams ; its Length from the End of the Bill to 

 the End of the Tail, fix Inches ; Breadth when extended, twelve Inches. 

 The Colour of the Head and Back is cinereous, with a certain Mixture of 

 red, like to that which is feen in the Back of the Hawfinch. The Rump 

 in moft of them is white, whence alfo it takes the Name of White Tail ; in 

 fome it is of the fame Colour with the Back, or mere red. The whole 

 Belly is white, lightly daflied with red. The Bread and Throat have 

 a deeper Tindlure of red. The Belly of the Cock is fometimes yel- 

 lowish ; above the Eyes is a white Line continued to the hinder Part of 

 the Head, below the Eyes a black Stroke is extended from the Corners 

 of the Mouth to the Ears. This black Line is not in the Females. 



Both the quill Feathers and covert Feathers of the Wings are black, except 

 the extream Edges, which are white tindtured with a fordid red. The Tail 

 is two Inches and a quarter long, made up of twelve Feathers, of which the 

 two middlemoft have their upper half white, the reft their lower, the Or 

 ther half being black ; the Tips and Edges of them all are white. In the 

 Hen the white takes up but a quarter of the Feathers. 



The Bill is flender, ftraight, black more than half an Inch long ; the 

 Mouth is black within, the Tongue black and cloven ; the Aperture of 

 the Mouth great, the hides of the Eyes Hazel coloured ; the back 

 Toe is armed with a great Claw, the Stomach is not very mufculous, 

 out of which diffedied was taken Beetles and other Infects. They breed in 

 forfaken Coney Burrows ; and they catch them in Sujfex^ by digging long 

 Turfs of Earth, and laying them acrofs the Holes out of which they 

 are digged, hanging Snares of Horfe Hair at the middle of the Entrance. 

 The Birds being very timorous at the Appearance of a Hawk, or dark Cloud 

 intercepting the Sun Beams, they run and hide themfelves in the Holes- 

 of the Turfs, and are caught by the Neck in the Snares. 



Tht 



