PLATE CLL 



Vitli the wool of fiieep and other animals which it eafily colleBs 

 1^1 the places of its haunts, and lined with a few hairs and feathers* 

 The eggs are of a light blue colour, with a circle of deeper blue at 

 the large end. Stragglers have been known to breed here, but the 

 circumftance is rather unufual. 



The chief food of the Wheat-ear confifts of infe£ls, and worms^ 

 upon which latter they are obferved to thrive well and become 

 very fat. 



The vicinity of Eaftbourn in Suflex is a celebrated refort of this 

 Iktle bird, which, generally fpeaking, though it may occafionally 

 abound elfewhere, is a local fpecies : they feem difperfed, feldom ap- 

 pearing in great numbers together in any one fpot. Mr. Pennant at- 

 tributes their appearance in fuch abundance, about this particular 

 fituation, to the prefence of a certain fly which feeds on the wild 

 thyme, that abounds in the neighbouring hills ; thefe flies, in his 

 opinion, conftituting the favourite food of the Wheat-ear. Befides 

 the vicinity of Eaftbourn we have obferved thefe birds very common 

 in the open grounds to the weftward of the coaft of Suflex, and no 

 where in greater plenty than about the fait marflies, towards the fea 

 from Chichefter to the borders of Hampfiiire. They fly low, and 

 fettle frequently to pick up the worms, and infe6ls that are found on 

 the ground. The peafantry, the fliepherds efpecially, fn«re them in 

 traps contrived Amply in the manner boys take fparrows with traps of 

 brick, except that thofe for the Wheat-ear are made with flone or clods 

 of earth inflead of brick. There is befides another mode of capture 

 which conCfls merely in placing two ck>ds of earth edgeways, fo as 



to 



